Bob Jones government class considers power versus authority

For his recurring “Principal’s Corner,” Robby Parker recently recorded his “vlog” (video log) in a history class at Bob Jones High School.

(Photo by John Allen)

Parker surprised Cory Wright’s advanced placement (AP) U.S. government class. Wright said his class was considering the “source of legitimacy of the government and how we make decisions by direct democracy or representative democracy.”

“Imagine Madison City Schools stadium where you had with both sides filled with that many Congressmen,” Wright said. In America’s infancy, legislators insisted on representation for everyone, but “with that many people, what’s going to happen to the debate process? It will take forever.”

“James Madison made the argument that federal government would be too unwieldy with that many people … that it would be chaos en masse,” Wright said.

The Bob Jones students also examined why “we have the decision-makers that we do. Where do they obtain their authority? What’s the difference between power and authority?” Wright said.

Parker asked students about the lesson’s relevance. One student said the discussion “applies to everyday life. Everything that happens — in the news or even at school — all comes back to government.”

Another student pointed out that several classmates were near or already 18 years old and would be able to vote. “We have to know what we’re going to vote about,” the student said.

Wright’s AP class held mostly seniors with a few juniors.

“This individual class discussion tied into the unit topic of constitutional underpinnings, authority and function of government and how that relates to public opinion, public will and public sentiment,” Wright said.

After observing the class, Parker said, “This is why we produce the best kids in the state of Alabama. Number one, they’re great kids but also because we have great teachers and instructors like Mr. Cory Wright.”

Wright also teaches modern U.S. history at Bob Jones.