Thinking of my past, I loved playing the silent game in elementary school. They wouldn't be able to say no.
Who do you mean when you say they can't say no?
It's just the way we did things at school. We had a stupid English teacher and we were able to get away with a lot by doing this.
Your english teacher is a human being with thoughts and feelings. Maybe it's not that your teacher is stupid, but that his teaching style doesn't fit with your learning style?
But it was great because I didn't have to study.
I don't think you should view this past event as a good thing. Your English teacher was just doing their best to try to teach the children to school. They probably felt upset that they were treated this way.