Michael A. Messner

Chapter 1. Working at Fatherhood

Michael Messner @mam52.bsky.social · 9d

Check out this short teaser for the new book by Fatima Suarez, Latino Fathers: What Shapes and Sustains Their Parenting: vimeo.com/1132672507?s...

A teaser of Chapter 1 in Latino Fathers: What Shapes and Sustains Their Parenting

vimeo.com

Michael Messner @mam52.bsky.social · 20d

A powerful Jewish refutation of "false accusations of antisemitism that abusively deploy our collective history to tarnish those with whom we stand together in the pursuit of peace and justice." jewsdemandaction.org

Jews Demand Action

jewsdemandaction.org

Michael Messner @mam52.bsky.social · 21d

A heartwarming time last week at my alma mater, Chico State U, talking with students, walking the lovely campus, and dining with faculty, including my inspiring teacher from 1974, Kathy Kaiser.

Michael Messner @mam52.bsky.social · 23d

Santa Fe NO KINGS even larger than the last one.

Michael Messner @mam52.bsky.social · 24d

This comes as a pleasant surprise, but make no mistake: USC's response was driven by a clear and powerful statement from faculty, staff, and students to say no to Trump's challenges to academic freedom. www.latimes.com/california/s...

USC rejects Trump education compact aimed at shifting the university to the right

USC interim President Beong-Soo Kim said in a statement that he had sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Education turning down the Trump offer.

Levan Book Chat—Michael A. Messner, The High School

Michael Messner @mam52.bsky.social · Oct 4

Here is the recording of my Levan Center book chat about The High School, with Alice Echols, Jeff Montez de Oca and CJ Pascoe: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUco...

YouTube video by USC Levan Institute for the Humanities

www.latimes.com/opinion/stor...

Michael Messner @mam52.bsky.social · Oct 2

Contributor: I'm an intersex professor. Am I supposed to lie by teaching 'only male and female'?

A campaign against teachers who acknowledge realities of human biology forces a choice: Teach truth and risk your job, or lie and maybe keep it.

www.borowitzreport.com/p/furious-ki...

Michael Messner @mam52.bsky.social · Oct 1

Furious Kim Jong Un Claims Trump Stole His Idea of Gathering Generals

“That asshole totally ripped me off.”

www.borowitzreport.com

Reposted by Michael A. Messner

Rep. Ami Bera, M.D. @bera.house.gov · Sep 17

This is damning testimony from Susan Monarez.

She was fired from her job as CDC Director for refusing to rubber-stamp RFK Jr.’s unscientific orders.

Her testimony confirms what we already know: RFK Jr. is unfit to serve.

He must resign.

Reposted by Michael A. Messner

Tim Murphy @timothypmurphy.bsky.social · Sep 16

it's not great www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

Trump's war on wind power has one very big exception

The president's sons are using scarce clean energy to mine for bitcoins.

www.motherjones.com

Michael Messner @mam52.bsky.social · Sep 13

a fun time at UT Austin, speaking with Chris Williams' undergrads and a sociology department colloquium about The High School, and then getting a tour of the Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports with Jan Todd, the strongest woman in the world.

Reposted by Michael A. Messner

Rutgers University Press @rutgersupress.bsky.social · Sep 8

"The High School: Sports, Spirit, and Citizens, 1903-2024" by Michael A. Messner

Watch this short video from the author of "The High School" concerning turbulent debate about violence and injury in high school football.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur6R...

#Sports #HighSchool #Football #FlagFootball

"The High School: Sports, Spirit, and Citizens, 1903-2024" ("Tackling Football")

Trump claims Chicago is ‘world’s most dangerous city’. The four most violent ones are all in red states

Reposted by Helen Jefferson Lenskyj

Michael Messner @mam52.bsky.social · Sep 6

But Trump obviously does not care about actual facts and crime data
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Jackson, Birmingham, St Louis and Memphis had the highest murder rates in 2024 – all are Republican-led states

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Michael A. Messner

Frankie de la Cretaz @thefrankiedlc.news · Sep 6

As the Liberty continue pricing out their longtime season ticket holders (mostly POC &/or LGBTQ+), a reminder that I wrote about this very thing before the season began:

the gentrification of the WNBA

While “investment in women’s sports” is often uncritically celebrated among league owners and the media, reality is much more complicated.

open.substack.com

Michael Messner @mam52.bsky.social · Sep 6

Shithead

Kate Burns @katerqburns.bsky.social · Sep 6

And to clarify- it’s an anti-war protest www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/se...

Trump vows to remove White House Peace Vigil, which has endured for 44 years

President Trump pledged Friday to remove the makeshift blue tent that has sat directly across from the White House since 1981 and is the nation’s longest continuous peace vigil.

www.washingtontimes.com

Reposted by Michael A. Messner

Kate Burns @katerqburns.bsky.social · Sep 6

And to clarify- it’s an anti-war protest www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/se...

Trump vows to remove White House Peace Vigil, which has endured for 44 years

President Trump pledged Friday to remove the makeshift blue tent that has sat directly across from the White House since 1981 and is the nation’s longest continuous peace vigil.

www.washingtontimes.com

Michael Messner @mam52.bsky.social · Sep 4

Guardsmen have been frustrated to see money spent on “performative” deployments in LA and DC, a military birthday parade that “nobody cared about,” and an anti-woke campaign to change back military base names—all while “soldiers’ barracks are falling apart”...

Mother Jones @motherjones.com · Sep 4

“This is an encroachment on everything we signed up for and it feels like a violation.”

Schuyler Mitchell spoke with Alex, a National Guard recruiter, who said the DC mission has deterred potential recruits and pushed already-disillusioned soldiers to their breaking points.

The National Guard soldier pissed about Trump’s DC takeover

“This is an encroachment on everything we signed up for and it feels like a violation.”

www.motherjones.com

Reposted by Michael A. Messner

Mother Jones @motherjones.com · Sep 4

The National Guard soldier pissed about Trump’s DC takeover

“This is an encroachment on everything we signed up for and it feels like a violation.”

www.motherjones.com

Michael Messner @mam52.bsky.social · Sep 3

for kids, reading entire books for pleasure opens up worlds, helps to build empathy, as it enhances creativity.

The 74 @the74.bsky.social · Sep 3

Why are so few kids reading for pleasure? @gtoppo.bsky.social reports

Why Are So Few Kids Reading for Pleasure?

Doomscrolling. Poor literacy instruction. Overscheduling. These are some of the reasons cited for a generational decline in students reading for fun.

www.the74million.org

Reposted by Michael A. Messner

The 74 @the74.bsky.social · Sep 3

Why are so few kids reading for pleasure? @gtoppo.bsky.social reports

Why Are So Few Kids Reading for Pleasure?

Doomscrolling. Poor literacy instruction. Overscheduling. These are some of the reasons cited for a generational decline in students reading for fun.

www.the74million.org

Michael Messner @mam52.bsky.social · Aug 27

Looking forward to my September 18 USC Levan Institute Book Chat about The High School with CJ Pascoe, Jeff Montez de Oca, and Alice Echols. Register for this virtual event here: calendar.usc.edu/event/levan-...

Levan Book Chat—Michael A. Messner, The High School

calendar.usc.edu

Reposted by Michael A. Messner

Rutgers University Press @rutgersupress.bsky.social · Aug 25

A great op-ed about football and gender equity in the Los Angeles Times today by Michael Messner, author of THE HIGH SCHOOL: www.latimes.com/opinion/stor... @mam52.bsky.social

Contributor: If tackle football isn't safe for girls, why do we let boys play?

An explosion of enthusiasm for girls’ flag football has led some to wonder why we're protecting one sex while celebrating the sport's dangers for another.

www.latimes.com/00000198-a5a...

Michael Messner @mam52.bsky.social · Aug 15

Sociologists are concerned about L.A. citizens during a year of unrest

Citizens in L.A have witnessed a summer of unrest including wildfire recovery, ICE raids and protests. Elisha, a video intern for The Times , reached out to sociologists to see how they examined recen...

US national parks staff in ‘survival mode’ to keep parks open amid Trump cuts

Michael Messner @mam52.bsky.social · Aug 7

It's hard to decide which Trump admin daily outrage to spotlight, but this one hit home for me today: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Park bosses say they’re running visitor centers and even cleaning bathrooms as remaining staff try to keep sites open

www.theguardian.com

Michael Messner @mam52.bsky.social · Aug 1

Maggie Mertens shows in close-up how high schools still struggle to provide equity for girls’ sports: Minnesota Softball Has A Title IX Problem - defector.com/minnesota-so...

Minnesota Softball Has A Title IX Problem | Defector

On May 11, 2023, Ellerie Ulfers was pitching for Washburn High School against district rival Southwest in a varsity softball game in Minneapolis, Minn. The start time had been moved back 15 minutes, t...

defector.com

Reposted by Michael A. Messner

Matt @mattlibrarian.bsky.social · Feb 4

The fash have been emboldened by demagogues and a misplaced sense of invincibility but we will win this war if we stand together!

ACLU sues on behalf of librarian fired after opposing book censorship effort

Patty Hector lost job after being targeted by campaign urging restriction of books with race and LGBTQ+ themes

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Michael A. Messner

Rutgers University Press @rutgersupress.bsky.social · Mar 11

Women’s History Month reminds us that how we remember the past matters. In "The High School," Michael Messner unveils the surprising ebbs and flows of gender equity in girls’ sports over 120 years. Progress is never linear.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl27...

#GenderEquity #WomensHistory

The High School: Sports, Spirit, and Citizens, 1903-2024 ("Gender Equity")

"The High School: Sports, Spirit, and Citizens, 1903-2024" ("Women Coaches")

Reposted by Michael A. Messner

Rutgers University Press @rutgersupress.bsky.social · Mar 17

Why are women so underrepresented in high school coaching? Women’s History Month invites us to reflect on this question with the observation that in the opening decades of the twentieth century, girls’ sports teams were thriving, and nearly all had women coaches.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN4c...