I’ve spent the better part of the last decade studying how Americans understand, use, and fight over competing visions of history. These culture wars have dominated our discourse about schools, students, knowledge, and our very identity as Americans. The Trumpening upended some of the traditional narratives on the topic– though I would note that these static impressions […]

Read more "The End of White Christian America?"

“Talking openly about memories — not just positive ones, but difficult ones, too — can help kids make sense of their past and rise to future challenges. It’s especially powerful to share stories about how the family sticks together through good times and bad, which allows kids to feel that they are connected to something […]

Read more "Keeping Their Memory Alive"

Recently, several colleges and universities have invited me to campus to address their administration and faculty on the challenges and opportunities of online learning today. While I can’t give away everything here (feel free to inquire about bringing me to your campus for a very fair rate!), I’d like to share some of the highlights with […]

Read more "Online Learning: Challenges and Opportunities (Part One)"

If he does, he hasn’t shown it yet. This post came out of a social media interaction this weekend. I was told by a family member, not for the first time, that while I don’t like Donald Trump, lots of people like him do like the President and believe he is going to take back […]

Read more "Does Donald Trump Plan on Governing for the People?"

The unveiling of “Ryancare” is off to a disastrous start. Seven years of campaigning against Obamacare and promising to “repeal and replace” it was joined by vague promises from the President to keep the most popular pieces of the Affordable Care Act while saving everyone money. To say that the American Health Care Act fails to […]

Read more "Lost on the Road to Repeal: The Crisis of a Party With No (Coherent) Ideology"

Conor Friedersdorf has a wonderful, wide-ranging interview with Yale computer scientist David Gelernter in The Atlantic this week. Friedersdorf is right to say that the Washington Post’s characterization of Gelernter as an anti-intellectual is wrong (and frankly bizarre). Gelernter is more accurately described as a talented polymath and a brilliant critic of American higher education, culture, and society. […]

Read more "Reflections on David Gelernter’s 20 Thoughts"

It comes as little surprise to most political observers to find that the Republican-controlled Congress is unwilling to investigate any of President Trump’s alleged misconduct. Parties infrequently hold their own executive’s feet to the fire. But this group of people in Congress is not like most in our past. These are the “patriots” who road the […]

Read more "Cowardice and Courage in Congress"

Qualified, adjective: officially recognized as being trained to perform a particular job; certified.” There has been a lot of talk about being qualified in politics lately (or, more accurately, a lot of claims that people leading the country are unqualified). Barack Obama was lambasted from the primary on for being unqualified to be President. Conservatives […]

Read more "What Makes Someone Qualified?"

Donald Trump is a disgusting man. His latest deplorable action comes in the form of his executive order that effectively bans Muslim immigration to the United States. You can read it for yourself here, but I thought I would give a few of my annotated thoughts about it as well.  By the authority vested in […]

Read more "Why Trump’s Ban on Muslims is Truly Deplorable"

Perhaps I can’t answer that question. I can say that several million people clearly felt like they, their loved ones, and our communities needed it. I can also tell you who doesn’t need the Women’s March, or any other movement for equality. Powerful, wealthy elites like the Donald don’t need it. Nor does Matt Walsh, “Christian” […]

Read more "Who Needs the Women’s March?"