I am not sure how to take this bumper sticker; on one hand, I know the student that drives this car. I will defend his character and his genuine sense of being a really good guy; on the other hand, I still find myself troubled by this bumper sticker. I suspect I am interpreting it [...]
Entries from January 2009
January 29, 2009
Hope is Maintained as Obama Nears Second Week by Holly McCarthy
About the Author: This post was contributed by Holly McCarthy, who writes on the subject of a Bible college. She invites your feedback at [hollymccarthy12 at gmail dot com]
In his first week as President of the United States and leader of the free world, Barack Obama made sweeping changes and worked hard to begin unraveling [...]
January 27, 2009
Travels and Blogging
I have been busy traveling the past few days; I spent time meeting with a head of an independent school about academic matters, as well as conducting a history seminar. I will spend tonight updating my syllabus, my CV, and completing some reading for classes tomorrow; I am not set to return to Houston until [...]
January 26, 2009
Tenure, Race, Academic Freedom, and Religion
Addressing matters of faculty, academic voice, tenure, and promotion has long been an interest of this blog; I do believe that good schools — be it a university, boarding, or day school can be measured in status by the intellectual freedom and voice permitted on its campus. Honestly, it is what separates elite schools from [...]
January 24, 2009
Why Not Place the Tax Burden On Hollywood? by Patrick Ryan
Patrick Ryan is a a junior at HCHS; he is a frequent reader of the now Professor. Feel free to leave a comment addressing his well articulated point of view.
Though it may be hard to believe, I was actually taking time out of my busy schedule the other day to sit back and watch an [...]
January 23, 2009
Aggressive Politics
AP – President Barack Obama on Friday struck down the Bush administration’s ban on giving federal money to international groups that perform abortions or provide abortion information… an inflammatory policy that has bounced in and out of law for the past quarter-century. Obama’s executive order, the latest in an aggressive first week reversing contentious Bush [...]
January 21, 2009
Rate His Speech
I thought the numbers would have been stronger; I suspect Obama has become his own victim in that our expectations are too high. We assume that everything he touches will turn to gold; I fear this might hunt him more than he realizes. The speech was very good and it offered a sense of hope. [...]
January 20, 2009
New Look and New Name
Call it a mid-life jam in my academic blogging life, but I say it is just a simple change. A former student of mine suggested a change from Proletarian to The Professor, illustrating a more accurate depiction of the blog. She stated that I am more of the Bourgeoisie than I am of the proletariat. Thus [...]
January 19, 2009
MLK Changed Hearts
I am sure many of you are familiar with this famous photograph above; it accounts for the emotional hate and southern rage held by many in the south during the 1950s — a decade in which the process of school integration was underway after the Brown v Board of Education case.
This is another iconic image [...]
January 16, 2009
Teaching Great Students IV: Carson’s Lincoln Thesis
Yes, I am really behind in my AP US History course; however, I did miss three weeks due to illness last year and managed to complete the course.
Assignment: Students were asked to read the chapter on Abraham Lincoln from Hofstadter’s The American Political Tradition. Then formulate a thesis on the the construction of him as [...]
January 14, 2009
60 days Left
Though I am dealing with a bug, I thought I was fit and ready to take on a monster run in preparation for a series of races. Upon my return I realized that I was not ready. Training is going well as I prepare for the Little Rock Marathon on March 15th and the Nashville [...]
January 13, 2009
What Might Malcolm X Say about Obama?
The day after November 4th, 2008 — I was walking my puppy (Abbey) around the block when I approached an older black man; I will never forget our conversation:
Older black man: “How are you, son?”
Carson: “It is a good day; it is a very good day.
Older black man: “Yes indeed. Yes indeed. It is a [...]
January 6, 2009
What Can I Do With A History Degree?
After high school, the only debate for me was do I focus on English literature or history. I am not sure what sparked my initial interest. I liked my upper school history teachers; I was well read and had a great interest in looking at the problems of vice, poverty, class, race, and gender; my [...]
January 5, 2009
My AP European History Friends and Colleagues
2008-09 Development Committee Members
These dedicated educators play a critical role in the preparation of the Course Description and exam. They represent diverse points of view and areas of expertise. As a group, they are the authority in their fields when it comes to making subject-matter decisions in the exam-construction process. The AP Development Committees represent [...]
January 4, 2009
My Break
I went home for the first time in almost four years for the break; I had dinner with Jeff Baker and his wife Jennifer. I met Jeff during my college days at Harding University; he is currently a law prof. at Jones School of Law in Montgomery. It was great having a drink and pizza [...]
