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Teaching about Public Policy: Using Lloyd S. Etheredge’s "The Case of the Unreturned Cafeteria Trays" in an Introductory Class
Unformatted Document Text:  “Teaching about public policy: Using Lloyd S. Etheredge’s The Case of the Unreturned Cafeteria Trays in an introductory class” There is always an easy solution to every human problem – neat, plausible and wrong.” -- H. L. Mencken In the 1970’s the APSA published a pamphlet entitled The Case of the Unreturned Cafeteria Trays. It examined a social problem within the context of a suburban high school. When I was a first year student in college in the early 1980’s I was required to read this work. I found it a useful introduction to the problems of social science in general and public policy in particular. I have assigned Unreturned Cafeteria Trays 1 a number of times during my teaching career. I have found it an excellent method to introduce students to the explanation and modification of social behavior. They are able to identify with the problem presented in the text! This work is also been useful in leading students to understand the costs and benefits of public policy actions. In this paper, I will discuss how I use this pamphlet at the beginning of an introductory American Government class to introduce students to the methods of and assumptions behind social science. One of the key problems we face as teachers are students who lack a basic understanding of social science. They often see it as the mere assertion of ideas without evidence. Worse, trained in the school of relativism, they believe that all statements are value judgments of equal weight. Many invert the scientific method and believe that they need not prove their assertions, but instead that it is up the listener to disprove them. Many also have no clear idea how public policy decisions are reached. Through the use of this text, I try to place all students on a common footing and give them some insight into the methods that inform our discussion and analysis of politics and public policy. I also use CUCT as an “icebreaker” to get students to speak out in class. 1 I will refer to The Case of the Unreturned Cafeteria Trays as CUCT for the balance of this paper.

Authors: Jendrysik, Mark.
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“Teaching about public policy:
Using Lloyd S. Etheredge’s The Case of the Unreturned Cafeteria Trays in
an introductory class”
There is always an easy solution to every human
problem – neat, plausible and wrong.”
-- H. L. Mencken
In the 1970’s the APSA published a pamphlet entitled The Case of the
Unreturned Cafeteria Trays. It examined a social problem within the context of a
suburban high school. When I was a first year student in college in the early 1980’s I was
required to read this work. I found it a useful introduction to the problems of social
science in general and public policy in particular. I have assigned Unreturned Cafeteria
Trays
1
a number of times during my teaching career. I have found it an excellent
method to introduce students to the explanation and modification of social behavior.
They are able to identify with the problem presented in the text! This work is also been
useful in leading students to understand the costs and benefits of public policy actions.
In this paper, I will discuss how I use this pamphlet at the beginning of an
introductory American Government class to introduce students to the methods of and
assumptions behind social science. One of the key problems we face as teachers are
students who lack a basic understanding of social science. They often see it as the mere
assertion of ideas without evidence. Worse, trained in the school of relativism, they
believe that all statements are value judgments of equal weight. Many invert the
scientific method and believe that they need not prove their assertions, but instead that
it is up the listener to disprove them. Many also have no clear idea how public policy
decisions are reached. Through the use of this text, I try to place all students on a
common footing and give them some insight into the methods that inform our
discussion and analysis of politics and public policy. I also use CUCT as an “icebreaker”
to get students to speak out in class.
1
I will refer to The Case of the Unreturned Cafeteria Trays as CUCT for the balance of this paper.


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