Death of a School & Implosion of an English Department

Featured Articles

The Death of School 10

The New Yorker • 26 Aug 2024 • ~4700 words • Archive Link

The article discusses the decline in public school enrollment across the United States as it delves into the closure of School 10 in Rochester, a school with deep local roots and a dedicated following. Through the eyes of parents and educators, it reveals the emotional toll of such decisions and questions the future of education in a changing city. It also explores the impact of these closures on the affected communities, the factors contributing to the enrollment drop, and the broader implications for the future of public education.

. . . there is a pathos to a closed school that doesn’t apply to a shuttered courthouse or post office. The abandonment of a building once full of young voices is an indelible sign of the action having moved elsewhere.

Pomona College’s English Department Imploded. Now, a Professor Is Exposing It All

The Chronicle of Higher Education • 21 Aug 2024 • ~11300 words • Archive Link

In a tense exploration of academic politics, this piece delves into the unraveling dynamics within a college English department. As conflicts over course proposals and other social and racial issues escalate, the article reveals how personal grievances and professional ambitions converge. I found this a powerful but stressful read: it’s difficult to like anyone in this story.

Even before he published his newsletter, most of Kunin’s colleagues had stopped speaking to him, at least in the way that colleagues typically do. Laying bare your coworkers’ absurdities risks torpedoing whatever’s left of those relationships. So why do it? What is there to be gained, other than glares in the faculty lounge?

Recommended Articles

Would a Group Opposed to Police Blow the Whistle on Its Founder?

New York Times • 25 Aug 2024 • ~3450 words • Archive Link

The article discusses the downfall of a nonprofit organization called Raheem AI, which was founded by Brandon D. Anderson to hold law enforcement accountable. As one employee uncovers troubling financial practices, the organization’s goals clash with the reality of its leader’s actions. It’s employees faced a dilemma when they wanted to see justice but were opposed to involving law enforcement.

They were left with a painful dilemma. They thought the law had been broken, and wanted justice. But they had sworn never to call the authorities on anyone.

A Prominent Accessibility Advocate Worked With Studios and Inspired Change. But She Never Actually Existed.

IGN • 23 Aug 2024 • ~3850 words

In an unusual twist, the video game accessibility advocate Banks, who inspired many and was mourned after her death, may have been a fictional creation. This article delves into the revelations surrounding her existence and the motivations of her partner, Coty Craven, who allegedly leveraged this persona for personal gain within the gaming community. It provides a look at authenticity, representation, and the complexities of online identities.

The goal of the investigation was to find concrete proof of Banks’ existence. Several days later, the investigator returned with no information. No immigration record, address, employment record, marriage license, or birth certificate was found. Banks, according to the investigator, was not a real person.

Fringe Theories

pitt.edu • 19 Aug 2024 • ~11500 words

This paper explores the often-dismissed world of fringe theories in science, arguing that intolerance toward these unconventional ideas can actually hinder scientific progress. By examining the history of science, the author suggests that even the most outlandish theories can lead to valuable insights and encourages a more open-minded approach to scientific inquiry.

. . . intolerance towards fringe theories is both the norm and epistemically harmful to science. Open-mindedness may be celebrated as a scientific virtue, but in theory and practice, constraints on that openness are considered the more virtuous.

Is Summer Break Bad for Everyone?

The Walrus • 26 Aug 2024 • ~1850 words

What if summer break isn’t as beneficial as we think? This piece from The Walrus explores the origins of the traditional school calendar and questions whether the lengthy summer vacation actually serves today’s students and parents well. With insights into the challenges families and educators face, it invites us to consider a different approach to the school year.

Distributing vacation time more evenly across the school year might benefit students, but it won’t address the widespread problem of North American parents who are expected to work fifty weeks per year.

Why Burning Man’s Gentrification Was Inevitable

jacobin.com • 24 Aug 2024 • ~3250 words

The piece discusses the gentrification and transformation of the Burning Man festival over the years, from its origins as a bohemian gathering to its current status as a playground for the wealthy elite. It explores how the lack of regulations and the influx of billionaires and tech moguls have eroded the festival's original ethos, leading to issues of worker exploitation and the exclusion of those without means.

Burning Man has evolved over thirty-five years from a small affair made up of hippies, drifters, and artists into a must-see event for the jet-setting global elite, up there with Art Basel, Cannes, Coachella, and the Met Gala.

Men, guns and penises: How the Western film genre became the definition of masculinity

EL PAÍS English • 24 Aug 2024 • ~2550 words • Archive Link

The Western film genre has long been associated with a specific brand of masculinity, but as this piece explores, it’s evolving in fascinating ways. From early portrayals of rugged heroes to modern narratives that include LGBTQ+ perspectives and challenge traditional roles, the genre reflects broader societal changes. Dive into this analysis of how Westerns are redefining themselves.

Naturally, such an exuberant genre has also transcended its own rules and prejudices, snatching the white man’s point of view to pay attention — either explicitly or clandestinely — to the conflicts of women, Natives and even “the other white man.” That is to say, villains and LGBTQ+ people.

In Search of the Platonic Tonic

Slate Magazine • 24 Aug 2024 • ~3300 words • Archive Link

What’s the story behind the gin and tonic, and why does it matter? In this exploration, the author reflects on their own journey with tonic water, from lackluster bar experiences to the rise of premium mixers. Discover how this seemingly simple drink carries a rich history and how modern variations are reshaping our drinking culture.

. . . tonic is far more than a mere mixer. It is an unlikely concoction with a complex and troubling history that has somehow stood the test of time, bringing the bitter, lifesaving bark of a South American tree through the horrors of colonialism, across the wasteland of midcentury American drinking culture, and into the hip, fizzy cocktail hours of today.

From Fiery Revolutionary to Sunshine State Retiree: The THC-Fueled Twilight

POLITICO • 18 Aug 2024 • ~3500 words

Lee Weiner, the last living member of the Chicago Seven, reflects on his journey from the tumultuous 1968 DNC protests to today’s political landscape. In this candid conversation, he shares his thoughts on activism, the importance of youthful idealism, and the lessons he hopes today’s protesters can learn from history. This piece offers valuable insights if you're curious about how past struggles continue to resonate in today's movements.

Weiner stopped smoking cigarettes on Jan. 20, 1985 — the day of Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration. He was living in D.C., happened to walk by the capitol and swore, in that moment, to quit cold turkey. “I wanted to outlast him,” he explains.