Jay Wilkinson as Teacher In Tribute: Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III: Foreword
Before he became editor of the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, and before he served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the United States, and before he was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and before he became a late-blooming romance novelist, Jay Wilkinson was a teacher-and a good one. On a faculty that took pride in its teaching, Jay stood out. Students once rated their teachers on the same scale as their own grades, which were then publicly posted. Jay got an A+. You couldn't do any better. Popular teachers are often showmen. Jay was no slouch, as in the Criminal Procedure class when he taught Miranda v. Arizona. Jay began to complain of the heat in the classroom and, to the growing consternation of the students, took off his jacket, then tie, then shirt, to reveal the "famous cases" tee shirt of Miranda, which encapsulated the Supreme Court's advice for custodial interrogation: (1) call a lawyer; (2) STFU. The class roared. Showmanship, however, was not Jay's long suit. His real gifts were gifts of substance, not display. He was consistently open-minded and respectful of student views, even on topics where he held firm opinions.