Category: Education

Current Affairs, Diary, Doc, Education, Uncategorized

How trying to make free speech free can really not do that

docphd

The state of Wisconsin is in the process of considering a bill that would allow for higher levels of punishment against UW folk who “disrupt” the free speech of others. On its face, the idea seems good: Everyone has a right to speak, so let’s make sure that we let all voices be heard. Naturally, that’s not the point of this, as previous writers have pointed out. Republicans who supported this bill (all but one of them voted for it; naturally all the Democrats opposed it) believe college campuses are filled with weed-smoking hippies who hate anyone conservative enough to … Continue reading How trying to make free speech free can really not do that

Current Affairs, Doc, Economy, Education, Of Interest, On Wisconsin, Stupid Republican Tricks, Uncategorized2 Comments

An open letter to the Wisconsin JFC in support of counting professors’ hours and trimming waste

docphd

Dear Sen. Darling, Rep. Nygren and other members of the Joint Finance Committee, News reports have indicated that your group has included in its most recent version of the state budget some “controversial language” that would “require the University of Wisconsin System to monitor the teaching workload of every professor and adjunct instructor on campuses.” As a faculty member of one of these institutions, I can assure you that this is definitely an important measure and a valuable first step in eliminating governmental waste and employee sloth. As many of you know, having received degrees from some of these state … Continue reading An open letter to the Wisconsin JFC in support of counting professors’ hours and trimming waste

Current Affairs, Diary, Doc, Education, Uncategorized

Only the kids have aged…

docphd

I spent the past week at our annual journalism conference, taking the chance to eat a lot of good food on my publisher’s dime and catching up with old friends. The funny thing? None of us seemed to age a bit. I caught up with what was left of my doctoral cohort. Tracy, Andrea and I were among 17  Ph.D.-hopefuls who spent a chunk of our lives in a basement office loving dubbed “The Pit.” The place was so subterranean that you had to climb on somebody’s desk to open a grass-level window. The joke always was that they put … Continue reading Only the kids have aged…

Current Affairs, Diary, Do Something, Doc, Education, Uncategorized5 Comments

It’s Blog, It’s Blog! Help me not to suck…

docphd

I’m asking for help from the hivemind, given the wide array of experience you have in writing for blogs, reading blogs and probably eviscerating shitty blogs. I was on the phone with my publisher the other day when she made an obvious statement that had previously had no answer other than, “No shit.” “The problem most of your reviewers had was that by the time the book comes out, the examples you list for the students are dated,” she noted. “That’s a problem with this book that we need to address…” My answer was the more professional version of “No … Continue reading It’s Blog, It’s Blog! Help me not to suck…

Current Affairs, Diary, Doc, Education, Law/Justice, Of Interest, R.I.P., Uncategorized2 Comments

Remember the 32

docphd

I was working the newsroom this week, when my wife sent me a photo with the caption, “Who are these people?” It turned out to be a “Save the Date” card from two of my former students who found love while finishing off their degrees here. The editor in chief of the paper poked her head over my shoulder and asked what was up. “I just got a Save the Date card from Ashley and Isaac,” I explained. She had a blank stare on her face. “You were here when Isaac was the managing editor, weren’t you?” Again, a total … Continue reading Remember the 32

Current Affairs, Doc, Economy, Education, On Wisconsin, Stupid Republican Tricks, Uncategorized

UW Budget Cuts: There’s always a reason…

docphd

Every two years, Wisconsin Republicans come home and see that the UW burned the roast. Or left a mess in the kitchen… Or didn’t buy more beer… Or forgot to pick up the dry cleaning… There’s always a reason that when the budget comes along, and the UW System leaders ask for money, Republicans decide instead to smack it around and then cut higher ed in the state. Four years ago, it was the allegation that the UW had stockpiled more than $1 billion in its coffers without telling anyone. (Of course, that wasn’t true, but it was more than … Continue reading UW Budget Cuts: There’s always a reason…

Current Affairs, Diary, Doc, Education, Kids Today, Of Interest, Uncategorized

Seeds of Hope

docphd

The young woman sitting next to me scrunched up her face as she looked at a resume I would have killed for at her age. She had three internships, including one at a major media outlet and a second at a center for investigative journalism. She was the editor of her paper and had earned honors and awards along the way. Still, she had that look. “I just hope I get a job,” she said. “It’s rough out there…” I half smiled as I shook my head and told her, “You’re going to be fine. You have a ton of … Continue reading Seeds of Hope

Current Affairs, Doc, Education, Elections, Kids Today, Television, The Darnold, Uncategorized

Journalism: A shitty job in a nuclear winter

docphd

One of my former students became a science reporter a few years out of school and once found himself on a trip to Chernobyl. A group of researchers were collecting stool samples from people who lived adjacent to the old Russian nuclear reactor, trying to see if they were suffering from any radioactive poisoning nearly three decades after the meltdown. He sent me a post card from the area with a final line I still love: “Journalism. It’s a shitty job but somebody has to do it.” I thought about him and that trip today when I was trying to … Continue reading Journalism: A shitty job in a nuclear winter

Current Affairs, Diary, Doc, Education, Immoral Values, Uncategorized2 Comments

Dear CMU Republicans, Hitler was never fucking funny.

docphd

Oh for fuck’s sake: A Central Michigan University registered student organization apologized via social media late Wednesday night after an anti-Semitic Valentine’s Day card apparently handed out by a member of the group sparked anger among students and community members. The Valentine features a photo of Adolph Hitler on the front and the words, “My love 4 u burns like 6,000 Jews,” and is signed “XOXO, Courtney.” I’m waiting for Sean Duffy to find the “good things” that came out of this whole Holocaust deal, now that it’s clear we can always find a silver lining in whatever stupid shit … Continue reading Dear CMU Republicans, Hitler was never fucking funny.

Diary, Doc, Education, Race, Uncategorized2 Comments

Career suicide by chicken

docphd

A kid in my writing class today made a running list of all of the random references I made to pop culture, history and other weird shit in an attempt to illustrate my points and for examples. The list was two pages long after a four-hour lecture on interviewing and quotes and included references to “Airport ’77,” Rosa Parks, Roberto Clemente, “The Poseidon Adventure,” Jim Jones (not that one) and John Wayne. Somewhere in the middle of all of that, I was outlining a story about the time I had to interview the mayor about a report regarding his affirmative … Continue reading Career suicide by chicken

Current Affairs, Doc, Education, On Wisconsin, Uncategorized4 Comments

The Problem of Whiteness meets the Problem with the Witless

docphd

It seems that Rep. David Murphy, who chairs the state’s committee on colleges and universities despite never having graduated from one, came out swinging against a course titled “The Problem of Whiteness.” This class is taught at UW-Madison, is an elective and is taught by professor Damon Sajnani, who has a Ph.D. in African-American studies from Northwestern. Murphy found the class – an elective, mind you – to be so disturbing he called for the entire UW System’s funding request to be yanked unless the class was cancelled:  Murphy, who is chairman of the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities, … Continue reading The Problem of Whiteness meets the Problem with the Witless

Bigotry, Current Affairs, Doc, Education, Uncategorized1 Comment

Doctor makes “monkey face” comment about Michelle Obama. Outraged? Yes. Shocked? Nope.

docphd

In the days after the presidential election, people have tried to parse the reasons for the rise of Trump and how racism will awaken from the dark, like it’s the Force or something. The current narrative has gone in one of two directions, both of which seem to land on the same group: Rural, uneducated white people. In one version of this, it was an economic/culture issue that led rural whites to see Trump as a savior. This is something Trump has been playing up in Indiana this week, where he courageously threw money at Carrier to only lose some … Continue reading Doctor makes “monkey face” comment about Michelle Obama. Outraged? Yes. Shocked? Nope.

Athenae, Economy, Education, Immigration, Immoral Values, Urban Hellhole5 Comments

Don’t Talk to Me About Bubbles

Allison Hantschel

I’m going to tell you a story and I swear every single word is true. I work downtown in Chicago at least two days a week and on at least one of those days I eat lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant right near my office. This place is owned by a Vietnamese family. On the menu, which is on the wall, they advertise that some of the food is halal. They serve Chilean wine. Yesterday, when I was there, the older and younger cooks were yelling at each other in Spanish over what kind of music they were going to play … Continue reading Don’t Talk to Me About Bubbles

Bigotry, Doc, Education, Elections, Political Crack, Urban Hellhole11 Comments

Where “Goddammit you fuckin’ guys” got us…

docphd

“You’re listening to me but you’re not understanding me.” “No I’m disagreeing with you. That doesn’t mean that I’m listening to you or understanding what you’re saying. I’m doing all three at the same time. – West Wing, In This White House   If we are going to get anywhere in this post, we need to start with a few basic understandings: I do not like Donald Trump as a person, a candidate, a businessman, a leader or a human. I voted for Hillary Clinton and it would be a cold day in Hell before I ever vote for Trump. … Continue reading Where “Goddammit you fuckin’ guys” got us…

Athenae, Education, Kids Today2 Comments

The Kids are Alright, Part 2000

Allison Hantschel

Hello there, teenagers! Do you know how often you think about The S-E-X? And how you are like animals with the sexing all the time?  According to Click2Houston, an administrator at Clements High School in Fort Bend County, Texas, was addressing an auditorium full of upperclassmen and trying to get them to dress more conservatively. But rather than say, “Dress more conservatively. Bare stomachs are not appropriate for school,” he tried to use humor. It came out like this: “Ladies, I know you’ve been working on your abs since the Olympics, right? But your shirts can’t be up here. It’s … Continue reading The Kids are Alright, Part 2000

Current Affairs, Doc, Education, Elections, Immoral Values, Sports, Uncategorized

Keep it short.

docphd

In honor of Daniel Victor’s simple answer in his NYT tech column, here are my five-words-or-less responses to a shit ton of stuff going on in the world:   Brock Turner was released from jail after three months from jail. CNN asks: Did race affect the Stanford Rape Case? Yes.   Stanford has decided to ban hard alcohol at campus parties in the wake of the Turner scandal. How effective will this be in stemming the tide of bad behavior and situations involving sexual assault? Beer.   Media outlets have announced the debate moderators for the presidential debates: NBC’s Lester … Continue reading Keep it short.

Doc, Education, Uncategorized

Tripping Triggers on College Campuses

docphd

As colleges across the country come back to life after a three-month slumber, the issue of who has the right to do what and when and where has once again trumped almost every other issue. Perhaps the college gaining the most attention is the University of Chicago, which welcomed its freshmen this week with the typewritten version of Cher’s famous scene in Moonstruck. The letter explained that students should not expect “trigger warnings” in classes or “safe spaces” on the campus, in large part because the university embraces freedom of expression and isn’t into this whole coddling thing. Seconds after … Continue reading Tripping Triggers on College Campuses

Current Affairs, Doc, Economy, Education, Scott Walker's Horcruxes, Stupid Republican Tricks, Uncategorized2 Comments

UW to Scott Walker: They call them cuts because they hurt and make you bleed

docphd

Last night was a first for me in my time at my current university: I got an email from a parent. In all of my previous stops, parental “engagement” ranged from the somewhat common to the fairly frequent. I had received calls from parents who wanted to protest a grade, argue about the amount of work I was assigning their precious snowflake or make sure that I knew the child was REALLY sick and needed to be excused from class. In some cases, the calls were polite and helpful while others smacked of entitlement. (In one case, I was told, … Continue reading UW to Scott Walker: They call them cuts because they hurt and make you bleed

Current Affairs, Doc, Economy, Education, Uncategorized1 Comment

You Got Served

docphd

We were sitting at the kitchen table on Day Two of the “My-Wife-Can’t-Breathe-Because-Humidity-And-Heat-Kill-Asthmatics” Festival, when she broke into a cussing, coughing fit. “That asshole! What a fucking dick!” It takes a lot for her to get to that level, as opposed to me, who you could easily see yelling, “Hurry the fuck up! It’s fucking cold out here!” during a eulogy. The asshole-dick in question was a coworker of hers at the local nursing/retirement home. The fellow CNA/RA had called in sick four minutes before his shift, sending the rest of the crew into understaffed crisis mode. Making this worse, … Continue reading You Got Served

Athenae, Current Affairs, Economy, Education, Elections, Race, So Called Liberal Media, Urban Hellhole3 Comments

Your Country Didn’t Go Anywhere. It’s Here. It’s Right Here.

Allison Hantschel

I am getting tired of describing the divide as city [government] mouse vs. country [individualist] mouse here:  Think of America as a set of stories. Not as a set of policies. Not as a set of ideals, even. But as a set of stories we tell about ourselves and who we want to be. This, I think, is where my fellow progressives fall down. We can argue until we are blue in the face about what the data proves, or what the facts say, and we will usually be right. But what we offer isn’t a mythology of the self. … Continue reading Your Country Didn’t Go Anywhere. It’s Here. It’s Right Here.

Athenae, Books, Education, Race2 Comments

We Keep Books from Children and Then Blame Them For Not Reading

Allison Hantschel

This wasn’t a million years ago. This was a moment ago:  The realization that the public library—idealized as a democratic place of learning and sanctuary, where the life of the mind was more ostensibly important than the color of skin—was not a haven for all was not new. As scholar Karla Holloway has written inBookMarks: Reading in Black and White, Black Americans knew that they had a “vulnerable relationship” to public libraries and found ways to “contradict the value that those segregated spaces explicitly assigned.” In 1925, NAACP Secretary Walter White mounted opposition to the establishment of a library science school … Continue reading We Keep Books from Children and Then Blame Them For Not Reading

Current Affairs, Doc, Education, On Wisconsin, Stupid Republican Tricks, Uncategorized2 Comments

Fitzgerald to MPS: Bitch, don’t make me hit you

docphd

I spent the last week watching the 30 for 30 documentary series “OJ: Made in America.” I have to admit it was intriguing, if not way, way, way too long. It’s been more than 20 years since the first O.J. trial and a time in which people like Marcia Clark, Kato Kaelin and Lance Ito all became nationally known names. For me, it was a bit like opening a box of stuff I found in the attic: It brought back memories, but didn’t provide me with a lot more than that on the whole. The one thing that it did … Continue reading Fitzgerald to MPS: Bitch, don’t make me hit you

Athenae, Education, Race, Stupid Republican Tricks3 Comments

GOP Governor Hates City Schools, Giant Surprise

Allison Hantschel

I have reached the stage of Bruce Rauner where I can’t even have a rational argument anymore. I just yell obscenities at the TV screen, which is one of many, MANY reasons I am no longer allowed to watch local news at home. (The major one being that when Kick was about 5 months old I was watching some local report on a child molestation case in which the criminal rapist was described as having “had sex” with his victim, and I yelled YOU MEAN HE FUCKING RAPED HER so loud I scared the baby. Also, nobody is transported to an area … Continue reading GOP Governor Hates City Schools, Giant Surprise

Current Affairs, Diary, Doc, Education, Guns, Uncategorized1 Comment

To Live and Die in (UC)LA

docphd

I spent the majority of my undergraduate career in the communication building at my alma mater. It was a giant, ugly concrete monstrosity that looked like it was put together by Willy Wonka’s emo cousin. Entrances and exits were on multiple floors, there were giant open spaces on top of the second and third floors. Rumors swirled that there was a helipad on top of the roof. On the inside, the halls were never linear, in that there was at least four ways of getting anywhere. Concrete columns jutted into the hallways, making easy for anyone not paying attention to … Continue reading To Live and Die in (UC)LA

Athenae, Economy, Education

How We Keep People Out

Allison Hantschel

Back when I covered land use issues I heard this kind of thing all the time:  In this second case, out of Arizona, the Ninth Circuit reversed a lower court’s finding. In the reversal, the federal court held that local zoning rules could be struck down if they unfairly block housing access for minorities. In this case, the city of Yuma had rejiggered its zoning map after it saw a proposal by a real estate developer to build “moderately priced” units on a parcel next to a mainly white, mainly single-family home area. Uproar over the proposal raised familiar objections, … Continue reading How We Keep People Out

Current Affairs, Doc, Education, On Wisconsin, Scott Walker's Horcruxes4 Comments

Fun with statistics: Scott Walker Edition

docphd

The old adage goes that there are three types of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics. In the wake of yet another “no confidence” vote against Gov. Scott Walker’s handpicked board of cronies regents and his “please don’t hit me, I won’t burn the roast again” system president, Ray Cross, Ol’ Deadeyes came out swinging this week. In advance of the UW-Milwaukee vote on a no-confidence measure, Walker issued a press release that was packed with numbers and data to show that faculty are out-of-touch crybabies who lack a sense of reality. He then peppered it with a couple great … Continue reading Fun with statistics: Scott Walker Edition