Sherman Dorn
@shermandorn.com
Personal account, historian of education policy
Trying to explain to some of my CA folks that joke maps dividing the country is essentially saying they want to abandon millions of Black and brown folks living in red states. And someone dared to reply, "let’s have a fund to get them the heck out" 🤦🏻♂️
January 27, 2026 at 3:20 AM
Trying to explain to some of my CA folks that joke maps dividing the country is essentially saying they want to abandon millions of Black and brown folks living in red states. And someone dared to reply, "let’s have a fund to get them the heck out" 🤦🏻♂️
💯 on the metaphor from @icpetrie.bsky.social
Another higher ed admin hits the transfer portal
three and half years at Madison before moving on to the more lucrative/prestigious job
three and half years at Madison before moving on to the more lucrative/prestigious job
Columbia taps University of Wisconsin chancellor to lead school after 2 years of turmoil
Columbia was President Trump's first target in a broader campaign of influencing elite universities.
www.inquirer.com
January 26, 2026 at 10:57 PM
💯 on the metaphor from @icpetrie.bsky.social
Opinion: For Ai to truly work in the classroom, schools must give their teachers a say
For AI to Truly Work in the Classroom, Schools Must Give Their Teachers a Say
Educators' view: Including teachers in planning for artificial intelligence and giving them time to master the tools made all the difference
www.the74million.org
January 22, 2026 at 2:36 PM
January 22, 2026 at 3:45 AM
Friends don’t let friends think Zinn’s People’s History was groundbreaking.
DuBois’s Black Reconstruction? THAT was groundbreaking, 45 years before Zinn.
DuBois’s Black Reconstruction? THAT was groundbreaking, 45 years before Zinn.
January 21, 2026 at 2:35 PM
Friends don’t let friends think Zinn’s People’s History was groundbreaking.
DuBois’s Black Reconstruction? THAT was groundbreaking, 45 years before Zinn.
DuBois’s Black Reconstruction? THAT was groundbreaking, 45 years before Zinn.
Thomas in Bruen: you gotta document "history and tradition"
Hawai'i: Look, here are examples from "history and tradition" supporting our gun laws.
Thomas: No, not like that.
Hawai'i: Look, here are examples from "history and tradition" supporting our gun laws.
Thomas: No, not like that.
NY vs Bruen, written by J Thomas, said we have to look to "history and tradition" of gun laws to decide if a new one is Constitutional. So defenders of HI's law cite them 19th C Black Codes, laws which prevented Black people from carrying guns onto private land THAT DOESN'T COUNT, say the Justices.
January 20, 2026 at 5:37 PM
Thomas in Bruen: you gotta document "history and tradition"
Hawai'i: Look, here are examples from "history and tradition" supporting our gun laws.
Thomas: No, not like that.
Hawai'i: Look, here are examples from "history and tradition" supporting our gun laws.
Thomas: No, not like that.
Corresponding with a prospective doctoral student about campus vs virtual visit, and I explained that either is just fine because there are plenty of admitted applicants who are unable to travel, including "almost tall international applicants."
January 20, 2026 at 3:19 PM
Corresponding with a prospective doctoral student about campus vs virtual visit, and I explained that either is just fine because there are plenty of admitted applicants who are unable to travel, including "almost tall international applicants."
Now that they've moved to @beehiiv.com, I'm a happily paid subscriber (again) to @arizonaagenda.bsky.social
January 19, 2026 at 7:28 PM
Now that they've moved to @beehiiv.com, I'm a happily paid subscriber (again) to @arizonaagenda.bsky.social
The dentist office that was auditioning for my business* is now inspiring a Venn-diagram-in-process.
* My current dentist is retiring soon, and an urgent issue popped up in late Dec when they were closed.
* My current dentist is retiring soon, and an urgent issue popped up in late Dec when they were closed.
January 18, 2026 at 1:19 AM
The dentist office that was auditioning for my business* is now inspiring a Venn-diagram-in-process.
* My current dentist is retiring soon, and an urgent issue popped up in late Dec when they were closed.
* My current dentist is retiring soon, and an urgent issue popped up in late Dec when they were closed.
Denver's OT all-PI offense.
January 18, 2026 at 1:11 AM
Denver's OT all-PI offense.
To anyone in ICE or CBP out in Minneapolis today looking to violate rights:
זאָלסטו זיך אויסגליטשן אויף שוואַרצן אייז, באַקומען צעבראָכענע עקביינער, און פֿאַרגיסן דיין הייסן קאַווע אין דיין קראָטש
זאָלסטו זיך אויסגליטשן אויף שוואַרצן אייז, באַקומען צעבראָכענע עקביינער, און פֿאַרגיסן דיין הייסן קאַווע אין דיין קראָטש
January 17, 2026 at 4:47 PM
To anyone in ICE or CBP out in Minneapolis today looking to violate rights:
זאָלסטו זיך אויסגליטשן אויף שוואַרצן אייז, באַקומען צעבראָכענע עקביינער, און פֿאַרגיסן דיין הייסן קאַווע אין דיין קראָטש
זאָלסטו זיך אויסגליטשן אויף שוואַרצן אייז, באַקומען צעבראָכענע עקביינער, און פֿאַרגיסן דיין הייסן קאַווע אין דיין קראָטש
My approach is when I see someone I generally agree with engage in what I think is ableism, AND IF I HAVE TIME AND THIS IS NOT BECOMING AN ENERGY VAMPIRE, to call them in, not call them out. Including things like suggesting alternatives.
Instead of stupid, idiot, moron, try blowhard, asshat, Nazi.
Instead of stupid, idiot, moron, try blowhard, asshat, Nazi.
Someone in my mentions said it was ableist to make fun of Trump's widely-reported personal stench and ok Bluesky ok
January 16, 2026 at 12:44 AM
My approach is when I see someone I generally agree with engage in what I think is ableism, AND IF I HAVE TIME AND THIS IS NOT BECOMING AN ENERGY VAMPIRE, to call them in, not call them out. Including things like suggesting alternatives.
Instead of stupid, idiot, moron, try blowhard, asshat, Nazi.
Instead of stupid, idiot, moron, try blowhard, asshat, Nazi.
This is the first credible call for a general strike in the US in decades. The 1934 Minneapolis general strike lasted more than 3 months. (In the US general strikes have been local, historically.)
January 14, 2026 at 6:14 AM
This is the first credible call for a general strike in the US in decades. The 1934 Minneapolis general strike lasted more than 3 months. (In the US general strikes have been local, historically.)
Tell the nearest 9-year-old about Claudette Colvin. Real-life hero, real person.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Claudette Colvin, whose refusal to move seats on a segregated bus helped spark the civil rights movement, dies at 86.
January 13, 2026 at 11:09 PM
Tell the nearest 9-year-old about Claudette Colvin. Real-life hero, real person.
The guideline from @juliametraux.bsky.social is enormously sensible, and source-focused. I intend to steal (and credit!) and spread.
I don't reshare videos of current events from accounts of people who 1) didn't film it themselves or 2) aren't a news sources because there's frankly so much AI, and it sucks.
January 13, 2026 at 11:06 PM
The guideline from @juliametraux.bsky.social is enormously sensible, and source-focused. I intend to steal (and credit!) and spread.
I have long seen @bakerdphd.bsky.social within the class of folks who understand history clearly. Now the world can, too.
Thank you, Dominique.
Thank you, Dominique.
Censorship Arrives on Campus
In her debut column, “Echoes in the Quad,” higher education policy scholar Dominique J. Baker explores how the political oppression of the McCarthy era reverberates in the stifling of academic freedom...
www.insidehighered.com
January 13, 2026 at 2:23 PM
I have long seen @bakerdphd.bsky.social within the class of folks who understand history clearly. Now the world can, too.
Thank you, Dominique.
Thank you, Dominique.
Just created a MS review queue of 19 potential reviewers: 4 ed board members, 6 recent(ish) authors of articles in the journal, and 9 ad hoc. Took an hour and a half (including reading the MS). That's faster than I used to be. Hope that's a trend!
January 12, 2026 at 6:23 PM
Just created a MS review queue of 19 potential reviewers: 4 ed board members, 6 recent(ish) authors of articles in the journal, and 9 ad hoc. Took an hour and a half (including reading the MS). That's faster than I used to be. Hope that's a trend!
History is complicated part 37
Given my mentions lately, need to point something out:
The invention of modern policing was a multipronged process, and slave catching was just one part in one place.
The first modern police forces were in the North, and slavery wasn’t their target.
The invention of modern policing was a multipronged process, and slave catching was just one part in one place.
The first modern police forces were in the North, and slavery wasn’t their target.
January 11, 2026 at 4:19 AM
History is complicated part 37
A sharp explanation of why Oster's recent NYT column is so painful.
January 10, 2026 at 11:11 PM
A sharp explanation of why Oster's recent NYT column is so painful.
The Skidding Stones
Slightly diminish a band.
Failed Coup
Failed Coup
Slightly diminish a band.
Led Blimp
Led Blimp
January 10, 2026 at 7:14 PM
The Skidding Stones
The Larvae
Slightly diminish a band.
Failed Coup
Failed Coup
Slightly diminish a band.
Led Blimp
Led Blimp
January 10, 2026 at 7:13 PM
The Larvae
This is the thing.
He didn't shoot her in the head at point blank range because he felt like he was in danger. He shot her in the head at point blank range because he was furious that she wasn't afraid of him. He shot her in the head at point blank range because he felt emasculated.
January 10, 2026 at 3:28 PM
This is the thing.
If you write a story about accidental encounters, that's metafiction.
If you write a story about Garbo, that’s gretafiction.
If you write a story about cooling systems, thats fanfiction.
January 9, 2026 at 6:13 PM
If you write a story about accidental encounters, that's metafiction.
Why reporters should NEVER repeat companies' "top 10" lists without checking on the reality: someone claimed that Sedona is one of the top-ten affordable small towns in the U.S. 🤣🤣🤣
Arizona small town ranked most affordable in US. But is it really?
An Arizona small town was named among 10 cities for affordable luxury living. But is that really true? Here's what the data says.
www.azcentral.com
January 9, 2026 at 6:09 PM
Why reporters should NEVER repeat companies' "top 10" lists without checking on the reality: someone claimed that Sedona is one of the top-ten affordable small towns in the U.S. 🤣🤣🤣