The University of Iowa Caves

The University of Iowa is adopting the MAGA agenda in higher education - getting rid of any initiative that smacks of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). They have announced that it is closing its Gender, Women's and Sexuality Studies Department. The university is also eliminating its Department of American Studies and its major in Social Justice. In its place the university is proposing a School of Social and Cultural Analysis, an entity that the Board of Regents will decide upon in February 2025.

This move occurs in the wake of the state passing SF 2435, a law that limits state universities in funding DEI offices. It is not clear that the legislation applies to departments and majors. But, it does show to the MAGA types in Iowa that the university is doing something about DEI and "wokeness."

The university says it plans to house Latina/o/x Studies as well as Native American and Indigenous Studies in the new school. The administration claims the re-shuffling of departments into the new school will make a better use of financial and curricula resources. Perhaps it will. But right now it looks like the university has caved to the more vocal conservative voices in the state. That's not exactly a positive sign for academic freedom in higher education.

"Massive" Election Loss?

On Fox News' "Outnumbered" show today, show co-host Kayleigh McEnany claimed Democrats are reeling from Trump's "massive" election win. "Massive?" Trump won by 1.67% of the popular vote. Trump also failed to get 50% of the popular vote. Obama beat McCain by 7.2%. Obama beat Romney by 4.9%. Biden beat Trump by 4.5%. Obama and Biden also got over 50% of the popular vote. This is the strategy of the right. Come up with a lie and keep repeating it. The only way to counter the strategy is to call out the lie. Hey media, are you up for it? Yes, it's a BIG job. YUGE!!!

I'm back

I started this blog a LONG time ago, but life had a habit of getting in the way, so there have been substantial gaps in my postings. But, the recent election has stirred things up for me. A man with absolutely no relationship to the truth was able to convince 75 citizens to vote for him. Please don't misunderstand -- Kamala Harris ran a misguided campaign. She did not give voters a reason to vote for her, only to not vote for Trump. Bad strategy. But, Trump constantly lied in the campaign. One example -- Trump claimed "we had inflation the likes of which I say -- I don't believe the country has ever seen inflation like that. They say '38 years,' I don't know. I think it's probably ever." Trump knows that's not even close to the truth. The highest inflation got under President Biden was 9.1%. It was 13.5% in 1980, after being at 11.3% in 1979, and remaining high at 10.3% in 1981. The highest it ever hit was 23.7% in 1920. The problem is that the media -- particularly the legacy media -- are not effective at pushing back on Trump's lies. Yes, they will do occasional fact checks, but almost never call him out in real time. For example, when he utters one of his biggest lies -- that he oversaw the greatest economy in history -- no reporter ever asks him to back up that falsehood. So, I am returning, in part, to set the record straight. But, my blog won't always be about Trump. I'm an educator, and what is happening in education is scary. Anyway, I am back -- for a lot longer, I hope.