Thomas Leischner
@thomasleischner.bsky.social
Educator and Organizer | he/they
The semi-annual tradition of seeing my grad school advisor rightfully dragged on social media has now continued on BlueSky, completing this platform’s recreation of my Twitter ~2016-2021 experience
OPINION: "Calling the president a fascist does nothing to advance the Democrats’ cause — and more of the party’s leaders would do well to realize that." — Jonathan Zimmerman
To defeat Trump, stop calling him names
Calling the president a fascist does nothing to advance the Democrats’ cause — and more of the party's leaders would do well to realize that, Jonathan Zimmerman writes.
www.inquirer.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:14 PM
The semi-annual tradition of seeing my grad school advisor rightfully dragged on social media has now continued on BlueSky, completing this platform’s recreation of my Twitter ~2016-2021 experience
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
For decades, scholars have argued education’s hidden curriculum is about disciplining and socializing children as future workers, and they just….tweeted it out
The U.S. Education Department is moving management of K-12 and higher education to the Department of Labor
Is Trump dismantling the Education Department? Not yet. But changes are coming.
The U.S. Education Department is moving management of K-12 and higher education to the Department of Labor and parceling out other core job duties to other agencies. It's the most sweeping effort so f...
www.chalkbeat.org
November 20, 2025 at 4:35 PM
For decades, scholars have argued education’s hidden curriculum is about disciplining and socializing children as future workers, and they just….tweeted it out
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
been thinking for not-directly-related reasons about Sherry Turkle’s book Alone Together, specifically the chapter where kindergartners speedrun an animistic cult around the proto-chatbot doll, Furby
November 13, 2025 at 3:04 PM
been thinking for not-directly-related reasons about Sherry Turkle’s book Alone Together, specifically the chapter where kindergartners speedrun an animistic cult around the proto-chatbot doll, Furby
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
Borders should delineate legal sovereignty but should not be barriers to movement.
"my least woke opinion is---"
That's enough. We've had enough people indulging in the "thrill of a little conservatism", as a treat. Of considering reactionary thought to be a salacious and taboo in a world descending into reactionary mania.
Give me your MOST woke opinions. We're bringing it back.
That's enough. We've had enough people indulging in the "thrill of a little conservatism", as a treat. Of considering reactionary thought to be a salacious and taboo in a world descending into reactionary mania.
Give me your MOST woke opinions. We're bringing it back.
November 14, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Borders should delineate legal sovereignty but should not be barriers to movement.
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
If you have to get permission to teach in your area of expertise from people who are definitionally not qualified to adjudicate your expertise then you are no longer working at a university.
You’re working at a state propaganda factory.
You’re working at a state propaganda factory.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Texas A&M adopts policy requiring professors to get OK from school president to discuss certain race and gender issues.
November 13, 2025 at 11:48 PM
If you have to get permission to teach in your area of expertise from people who are definitionally not qualified to adjudicate your expertise then you are no longer working at a university.
You’re working at a state propaganda factory.
You’re working at a state propaganda factory.
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
sometimes i feel like the republican party is a big tornado that is coming to kill me. and the democratic party is the rickety shed that i'm hiding in. and i say "we should really fix this shed, because it's not doing much." and people say "what? why aren't you criticizing the tornado instead?!"
June 12, 2025 at 5:14 AM
sometimes i feel like the republican party is a big tornado that is coming to kill me. and the democratic party is the rickety shed that i'm hiding in. and i say "we should really fix this shed, because it's not doing much." and people say "what? why aren't you criticizing the tornado instead?!"
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
We were told they couldn’t fight or even talk about anything else because health care was the winning hand.
November 11, 2025 at 12:17 AM
We were told they couldn’t fight or even talk about anything else because health care was the winning hand.
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
Having no reason to hire qualified faculty is a feature, not a bug.
www.texastribune.org/2025/11/10/t...
www.texastribune.org/2025/11/10/t...
November 10, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Having no reason to hire qualified faculty is a feature, not a bug.
www.texastribune.org/2025/11/10/t...
www.texastribune.org/2025/11/10/t...
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
You never have to wait to do politics. There are many things that need doing right now.
November 10, 2025 at 1:42 PM
You never have to wait to do politics. There are many things that need doing right now.
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
As Democrats get their votes lined up and talking points ready, it’s important to remember they’re working together to lessen the fallout from their angry base.
In March (see below), Schumer voted to advance the bill but didn’t *technically* vote for final passage.
It’s dishonest bullshit.
In March (see below), Schumer voted to advance the bill but didn’t *technically* vote for final passage.
It’s dishonest bullshit.
"But Schumer and seven other Democrats who voted to advance the bill earlier Friday voted against passing it."
"Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire) was the only Democrat who voted for the bill. King also voted for it. Sen. Rand Paul (Kentucky) was the only Republican who voted against it."
"Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire) was the only Democrat who voted for the bill. King also voted for it. Sen. Rand Paul (Kentucky) was the only Republican who voted against it."
Live updates: Trump-backed bill passes Senate, averting a government shutdown
The latest news on President Donald Trump’s administration and the expected Senate vote on a continuing resolution to avert a government shutdown.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:39 AM
As Democrats get their votes lined up and talking points ready, it’s important to remember they’re working together to lessen the fallout from their angry base.
In March (see below), Schumer voted to advance the bill but didn’t *technically* vote for final passage.
It’s dishonest bullshit.
In March (see below), Schumer voted to advance the bill but didn’t *technically* vote for final passage.
It’s dishonest bullshit.
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
Caving now means they literally did it for nothing and caused harm to people for nothing. Just absolute failure on every level.
November 9, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Caving now means they literally did it for nothing and caused harm to people for nothing. Just absolute failure on every level.
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
All the ways this project has been empowered must be dismantled or we will simply end up with agencies (perhaps with different names) doing the same thing next time.
November 9, 2025 at 2:59 PM
All the ways this project has been empowered must be dismantled or we will simply end up with agencies (perhaps with different names) doing the same thing next time.
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
You’ve got to be kidding me
November 9, 2025 at 6:36 PM
You’ve got to be kidding me
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
They do not have a plan, they’ve never had a plan. They’ve also never had the votes to repeal the ACA which is *OVERWHELMINGLY* popular, nor have they been able to get the Supreme Court to overturn it, so instead they’ve just shut down the entire government to try forcing Dems to stop funding it.
November 9, 2025 at 1:53 AM
They do not have a plan, they’ve never had a plan. They’ve also never had the votes to repeal the ACA which is *OVERWHELMINGLY* popular, nor have they been able to get the Supreme Court to overturn it, so instead they’ve just shut down the entire government to try forcing Dems to stop funding it.
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
Axios tried to bust James Talarico for following adult content creators on Instagram and I'm genuinely impressed by his campaign's response
November 8, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Axios tried to bust James Talarico for following adult content creators on Instagram and I'm genuinely impressed by his campaign's response
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
congrats to everyone for thinking this through before signing very big contracts to put it on every student’s device at the school or university you run
OVER A MILLION USERS
DISCUSS SUICIDE WITH CHATGPT
EVERY *WEEK*
what the fuck are we DOING here
DISCUSS SUICIDE WITH CHATGPT
EVERY *WEEK*
what the fuck are we DOING here
Panera’s moderately caffeinated lemonade was loosely associated with 2 deaths before it was taken off market.
This article alone has 4 examples of ChatGPT encouraging young people to commit suicide, and OpenAI’s own public stats estimate over a million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week.
This article alone has 4 examples of ChatGPT encouraging young people to commit suicide, and OpenAI’s own public stats estimate over a million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week.
November 7, 2025 at 11:24 PM
congrats to everyone for thinking this through before signing very big contracts to put it on every student’s device at the school or university you run
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
The most heartening thing about right now is the propensity of my neighbors to run towards trouble
November 7, 2025 at 4:35 PM
The most heartening thing about right now is the propensity of my neighbors to run towards trouble
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
The long-running ideological war on libraries, education, and government workers is not separate from AI boosterism. It is the same ideological war on human knowledge and expertise. In some cases AI is being used to directly supercharge this effort:
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...
AI Is Supercharging the War on Libraries, Education, and Human Knowledge
"Fascism and AI, whether or not they have the same goals, they sure are working to accelerate one another."
www.404media.co
November 6, 2025 at 4:21 PM
The long-running ideological war on libraries, education, and government workers is not separate from AI boosterism. It is the same ideological war on human knowledge and expertise. In some cases AI is being used to directly supercharge this effort:
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
A whole new generation is going to be reading about Eugene Debs this morning.
Read him from Haymarket in his own words.
www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1246-t...
Read him from Haymarket in his own words.
www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1246-t...
The Selected Works of Eugene V. Debs, Vol. I
An extensive compilation of articles, speeches, press statements, and open letters by American socialist Eugene V. Debs.
www.haymarketbooks.org
November 5, 2025 at 5:57 PM
A whole new generation is going to be reading about Eugene Debs this morning.
Read him from Haymarket in his own words.
www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1246-t...
Read him from Haymarket in his own words.
www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1246-t...
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
No Joe Dante? Bad. Bad bad bad bad bad. We do not need that Chris Columbus schmaltz unmediated by a guy who thinks it's corny and tiresome
Warners Making ‘Gremlins 3’ With Steven Spielberg, Chris Columbus Returning - Releasing Nov 19, 2027 www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie...
November 6, 2025 at 2:57 PM
No Joe Dante? Bad. Bad bad bad bad bad. We do not need that Chris Columbus schmaltz unmediated by a guy who thinks it's corny and tiresome
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
State Rep. Chris Rabb (D., Philly) has reintroduced a bill to allow for ranked choice voting in Pennsylvania. It has the support of five other Democrats.
www.palegis.us/legislation/...
www.palegis.us/legislation/...
www.palegis.us
November 5, 2025 at 10:28 PM
State Rep. Chris Rabb (D., Philly) has reintroduced a bill to allow for ranked choice voting in Pennsylvania. It has the support of five other Democrats.
www.palegis.us/legislation/...
www.palegis.us/legislation/...
Reposted by Thomas Leischner
When you’re riding public transit you realize that what’s good for everybody is also good for you. If the bus runs faster, if the train is cleaner, if the AC works, we all benefit
when you’re driving a car, every other car on the road is your personal enemy
when you’re driving a car, every other car on the road is your personal enemy
The Times parsed the vote using similar categories and again found that the single most determinative factor economic-like factor in the election was "commute by transit" vs "commute by car." It edged out renters vs. homeowners. There's still outstanding data but I expect these trends will hold.
November 5, 2025 at 4:18 PM
When you’re riding public transit you realize that what’s good for everybody is also good for you. If the bus runs faster, if the train is cleaner, if the AC works, we all benefit
when you’re driving a car, every other car on the road is your personal enemy
when you’re driving a car, every other car on the road is your personal enemy