Timothy Messer-Kruse

Ohio State Chase Center professor placed on administrative leave after assaulting cameraman The Ohio political blog, The Rooster, published video showing Chase Center Assistant Professor Luke Perez hitting a cameraman and then throwing him to the ground.

When the mask comes off the "civil discourse" rhetoric.

www.wosu.org/politics-gov...

A sure sign of spring is renewed attacks on CRT, DEI, and now in Kansas, "racial, ethnic or gender studies." In addition to the old white panic, this bill cracks down on "anti-racism" "social justice" and "cultural competence." What's next requiring cruelty?

www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/...

Then a $10k bounty hunter bonus: "An aggrieved person, including a student or parent, may bring a civil action against the public school, school district, or employing public agency, or against an individual school employee in their professional capacity...for violations of this section." END

I don't think it is possible to teach history and comply with the requirement of NOT ""Using dialectical analysis to frame history or current events primarily as class, racial, or identity-based conflicts..." /10

"Implementing culturally relevant or responsive pedagogy that prioritizes identity-based division over individual merit or shared American values" or "Inculcating LGBTQ+ ideology...or requiring affirmation of LGBTQ+ sexuality as ethical or normative." is also banned. /9

"Compelling students to adopt "critical consciousness" by requiring them to identify personal or societal "oppressors" and "oppressed" through lenses derived from Marxist analysis, intersectionality, or critical race theory"/8

Total ban on "Teaching or advocating that American societal structures, including the U.S. Constitution or legal system, are inherently illegitimate or designed to perpetuate oppression based on race, gender, sexual orientation, or other identity categories" but also /7

"No public school, school district, or public employee acting in an official capacity shall engage in the pedagogy, praxis, or inculcation of critical theories or related practices that promote division, dialectical world-views, critical consciousness, or anti-constitutional indoctrination." /6

Diversity=violence: "'Culturally relevant'...pedagogies build barriers to...a unifying American culture by emphasizing group identities over shared national values, thereby establishing permanent, balkanized subcultures that are exploited by demagogues towards revolutionary and violent ends." /5

"These practices and praxis can indoctrinate students by compelling adherence to these world-views, undermining objective learning and unity, and undermining the ultimate right of parents..." Praxis? Objective unity? The parents rights stuff sets the stage for the teeth of the bill - civil suits. /4

It then notes Hegel, Marx, Freire, Ladson-Billings, and Crenshaw "promote purposeful division by framing society through lenses of inherent oppression, liberation narratives of overthrowing systems and hierarchies, systemic inequity based on identity groups, or anti-constitutional narratives." /3

It begins "Education should cultivate a neutral or patriotic disposition...without compelling total ideological allegiance." It immediately violates this principle by banning teaching that "cultivates" a "hostile or revolutionary disposition against the founding of America" or the Constitution. /2

NH GOP just dropped the most bonkers K-12 thought control bill yet. It is a greatest hits of all the worst ideas. The worst part is that at bills first hearing a GOP rep suggested amending it to apply to higher Ed too! Here is a sampler of its Orwellian ideas: 1/
gc.nh.gov/bill_status/...

It’s Time to Teach Civic Literacy | National Review A good program in Texas is hoping to make a difference.

The NR says civics is needed because "progressives who dominate our faculties" teach that the Constitution was "written by racists to protect their power." So the founders weren't racist and tossing the Articles of Conf. had nothing to do with class power? www.nationalreview.com/corner/its-t...

Five Reasons Viewpoint Diversity Makes Academic Sense - The Future of American University By Jenna Silber Storey and Benjamin Storey January 26, 2026 Everyone seems to be talking about viewpoint diversity—but it is often unclear what exactly we are talking about.  Do hiring committees need...

The Right failed in the marketplace of ideas—so now they are trying to discredit it: “universities also have a special role to play in the transmission of our intellectual inheritance…especially elements of that inheritance that grate against contemporary sensibilities.”
cfau.aei.org/five-reasons...

Right-wing plot to set up ‘intellectual freedom centers’ at public universities UNC-Chapel Hill and the University of Florida are part of the effort to push conservative ideology on college students in the guise of civics education

They say to understand politics follow the money. This excellent article does that for the expanding 'civic institute' scam. Tracing the money trail leads back to a shadowy network of right-wing billionaires like the Koch family.

prismreports.org/2026/01/27/c...

It’s less of a half measure than “abolish ICE”. Abolish capitalism has been waiting quite some time. It might wait a bit longer.

All true, but maintaining our system of defining people as illegal and discriminating against them is also unsustainable. Why not strike at the root?

Why is the prevailing response to ICE occupation in U.S. cities for Congress to "abolish ICE" when there is a much simpler solution: Congress can declare amnesty and permanent residency to all persons currently living in the U.S. We created the idea of "illegal" aliens. We can also undefine it.

Anyone in the LA area on Mar. 19 is welcome to come out and hear civic education debated.

The civic center on my campus asked if I would bring my undergraduates to talk on Federalist #10. All the speakers are five state legislators. Hmmm.... wonder why. Oh, did the new legislative session just begin?

Good thought, but each system and context is unique.

Don't condemn Americans for voting Trump into office. The line is that people are stupid and democracy doesn't work. But the USA wasn't meant to be a democracy but to balance elite interests (Senate, unelected Supremes, an electoral college). The problem isn't democracy because we don't have one.

Iowa GOP is about to ban the "study of subgroups of Americans" from required Intro to US History courses. This would, I assume include all ethnic studies, women's history, etc. So we have moved from anti-CRT to anti-anyone but white men in just 2 years.

www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/...

Leaked Signal chat shows NH House education chair advocating whites-only schools The group chat allegedly shows NH House Education Committee Chair Kristin Noble suggesting test scores would rise if students were split into white and

So the NH lawmaker in charge of Ed policy and sponsor of last years law banning CRT because systemic racism is a myth is caught planning to racially segregate schools in a lawmaker group chat (with no push back). granitepostnews.com/2026/01/14/l...

Statement on Ford Plant Visit from VP Laura Dickerson, Ford Department Director

🧵 The autoworker at the Dearborn Truck Plant is a proud member of a strong and fighting union—the UAW. He believes in freedom of speech, a principle we wholeheartedly embrace, and we stand with our membership in protecting their voice on the job.

“Empire in Decline”: Historian Alfred McCoy on U.S. Aggression in Venezuela, Iran & Beyond As President Trump threatens Iran, Venezuela, Mexico, Greenland and more, renowned historian Alfred McCoy says the United States is “an empire in decline,” following a predictable pattern of militaris...

“ the thing to do is to realize that we are an empire in decline, and we are writhing in this kind of irrationality, particularly in the international realm. And it will continue for another decade or two, until the power, American power, finally slips away.”

www.democracynow.org/2026/1/13/al...

I had my 70 undergrads fill out a survey that among many things asked them to rate their politics and how many social media followers they had. Conservatism correlated strongly with higher numbers of followers. Not surprising but a reminder of the climate we live in.

The truth about being a white man in America In an interview last week with reporters from the New York Times, President Trump claimed that the civil rights movement resulted in discrimination against white men.

popular.info/p/the-truth-...

Senate Bill 1 is reshaping Ohio public universities; 5 major changes From eliminated degree programs to disbanded DEI offices, changes enacted by the controversial Senate Bill 1 have transformed Ohio's higher education landscape and prompted neighboring states to recru...

Senate Bill 1 is reshaping Ohio public universities; 5 major changes
by Laura Hancock
www.cleveland.com/open/2026/01...