In keeping with my daughter’s Frozen themed Halloween, today I’m Academic Olaf. I like warm hugs, elbow patches, long discussions of theory, and, especially, SUMMER!

Lovely to see the sun again after several rainy days.

What a treat to see Critical Role at Radio City Music Hall last night!

We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.

It's a small step from here to prohibiting professors from teaching about climate change, slavery, colonialism, racial discrimination, evolution, and the efficacy of vaccines.

I spent too much time worrying about state-run media, and not nearly enough worrying about a media-run state.

Celebrating ten cancer free years today!

🐻 ⬇️

Greeted by a beautiful Lawrence sunset after teaching this evening.

My article with the Journal of Beliefs and Values is officially out in print! I explore how the British Empire served as a medium for the diffusion of religious instruction in the colonies of settlement from the late 19th century to the 1960s. Free link here: www.tandfonline.com/eprint/IMHR8...

My generational divide moment for the first week of class: Attended an orientation in which the icebreaker was “what song is your most liked on Spotify,” but I don’t fully understand why you need to like songs on Spotify nor could I recognize 80% of the songs/bands mentioned.

Every day I become more certain that we are living in the timeline in which Biff received Gray’s Sports Almanac.

Hilarious student essay from 1850: “Laziness The Best Policy,” from the Springdale Memento, Springdale Boarding School in Virginia.

Never change, New England

Thrilled to be starting my time as a fellow with @amantiquarian.bsky.social! Lovely to work at such a beautiful world class library.

As the secretary of @aeraedresearch.bsky.social Division F, I have created a Blusky account. If you are interested in history of education or related topics, then give us a follow @aeradivf-history.bsky.social #histed #edhist

"History should be taught and studied for its own sake, regardless of consequences, solely with a view to know the truth."

Received my pre-order yesterday, and am so far finding it fascinating. A compelling account of the origin and many uses (abuses?) of the idea of ‘the West’ as a cultural/political category.

Peak Kansas at the final Symphony on the Flint Hills today. Even had a rendition of a Home on the Range and a cattle drive.

19th century educator Mary Sheldon Barnes here provides a powerful justification for why we should wrestle with original documents, and also a fair answer to AI enthusiasts looking to outsource critical thinking. #histed. #skystorians

Delighted to learn a little #histed while on a brewery tour yesterday.The Annheuser-Busch brewery is located on Pestalozzi Street, and is right on the site of the Lyon School in St. Louis, constructed in 1868. I’m sure Johann Pestalozzi would be proud.

Another great day for baseball! Cheering on the Royals at Busch Stadium.

Beautiful day for a ballgame at the K!

Ok, you find it funny or interesting why some centuries are "long" and others are "short" and why do historians use terms like "the Middle Ages" or "the Renaissance" but get cross about it all the time? And keep forbidding things like "the Dark Ages"? Isn't it weird? Well, no. 1/

Check out our new book that includes practical ways to engage learners in transdisciplinary learning! news.ku.edu/news/article...

📢New fellowship opportunity 📢 We are thrilled to announce the launch of a new collaborative fellowship with the IU Indianapolis Arts and Humanities Institute (IAHI).

Congratulations to Pope Leo XIV!

As a historian with Illinois roots, today is a very good day on the internet. The 'Papal Bulls,' 'Chicago Style,' and Cardinals memes are fabulous!

My daughter now calls working out “extracise,” and I think we ought to make this change immediately.

@acls1919.bsky.social, the AHA, & @modernlanguage.bsky.social filed a lawsuit in federal district court today, seeking to reverse the recent actions of the NEH to devastate the agency, including the elimination of grant programs, staff, and entire divisions and programs. 🗃️

Excited for a great day at #AERA2025!

🌈 after an intense Kansas springtime thunderstorm.

We are searching for a Visiting Assistant Professor here at KU. We are especially interested in potential applicants who might teach courses in student development theory and research on college students, among others. Please share with your networks. Rock chalk! employment.ku.edu/jobs/faculty...

I can cross off ‘take selfie with human sized orange while conducting archival research’ from my bucket list.

In the archive and reminded that the attacks on history today are very old. Not sure if that’s encouraging or not.

How bout them Gators?! What an incredibly fun run for this team.

This isn’t taking your medicine. This is drinking hemlock.

Being a millennial academic is like arriving at a party where the place has already been trashed and someone called the cops. Sure looks as if it was a fun party, once upon a time.

The Patchwork of World History in Texas High Schools: Unpacking Eurocentrism, Imperialism, and Nationalism in the Curriculum, 1920-2021 @stomperjax.bsky.social newbooksnetwork.com/the-patchwor...

I was supposed to be faculty at an NEH Institute this summer, but just learned that it was DOGE’d. Sad day.

Welcome to the BlueSky page for the #SSRSIG! We're happy to be here and connect with Social Studies researchers, scholars, and educators. Please introduce yourself below as we get excited for #AERA2025 @aeraedresearch.bsky.social

More than a little intimidating to have Leopold von Ranke watching over your shoulder at an archive.

I wish this was satire. Nearly everything here is wrong or dystopian.

The LibGen/ Meta story is 2 pieces which rile people differently. Some see pirate sites like LG as theft; some as Robin Hoods. Some of the latter see Meta's use as corporatized theft; some OA maximalists see as fair use. 10 years ago (😳), my take. 1/ scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2015/03/25/g...

No, I’m totally fine after that Jayhawks loss in the first round. Thanks for asking.

When it’s our turn, let’s try and look cool like Jon Zimmerman in shades and a pink tie.

🚨NEW🚨: Donald Trump is attempting to strip away federal support for libraries. We will NOT let that happen. Last night the President signed an order to gut the Institute of Museum & Library Services. But together, we know we can show up & defeat it. Full EO: www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

AERA has just learned that all restricted-use NCES data licenses will be cancelled, possibly as early as March 20. We urgently request that all AERA members and others in the research community with restricted-use licenses take these two actions: www.aera.net/Research-Pol...

The AHA and the OAH have released a joint statement condemning recent efforts to censor historical content on federal government websites, at many public museums, and across a wide swath of government resources that include essential data. 🗃️

AERA Exec Dir Felice Levine: "AERA condemns the administration's staff firing and assault on the mandated purposes of the U.S. Education Department." (1/2)