Joanna Kenty
@jokenty.bsky.social
Former professor of Latin/Roman history, author of Cicero’s Political Personae (2020). I write Humanist, a blog about teaching humanities in higher ed (humanist.ghost.io), and write about democracy for The Renovator (therenovator.substack.com). She/her
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
yes, hello, I would like to place an order for everyone’s funniest stories of holiday food-related family grudges / drama / chaotic incidents / lore
I feel like we need this
I feel like we need this
November 24, 2025 at 11:39 PM
yes, hello, I would like to place an order for everyone’s funniest stories of holiday food-related family grudges / drama / chaotic incidents / lore
I feel like we need this
I feel like we need this
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
the replies to @clairewillett.bsky.social’s prompt are incredible
there’s no shame in not knowing how to do something
but when you know you don’t know how to do something AND you don’t check??
there’s no shame in not knowing how to do something
but when you know you don’t know how to do something AND you don’t check??
My aunt who famously can’t cook tried to make a pumpkin pie. She didn’t know what cloves were, so she put garlic cloves in it. Whole.
November 25, 2025 at 2:05 AM
the replies to @clairewillett.bsky.social’s prompt are incredible
there’s no shame in not knowing how to do something
but when you know you don’t know how to do something AND you don’t check??
there’s no shame in not knowing how to do something
but when you know you don’t know how to do something AND you don’t check??
Loving this story about the need for humanities education, articulated by a CEO with a background in chemistry and business:
A Humane Education
The humanities are more than just a collection of required classes. They are essential for helping students learn about themselves and how to interact with the people and world around them.
substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Loving this story about the need for humanities education, articulated by a CEO with a background in chemistry and business:
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
This week we're republishing Danielle's series about how American democracy right now is like a bear stuck in a trap, being attacked by wolves, with a wildfire looming on the horizon. Sounds bad, but there are ways to get out of it! A good thing to read over this holiday.
America is a Bear in a Trap
How to free America from the trap of an election system captured by party processes gone wrong.
therenovator.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:23 PM
This week we're republishing Danielle's series about how American democracy right now is like a bear stuck in a trap, being attacked by wolves, with a wildfire looming on the horizon. Sounds bad, but there are ways to get out of it! A good thing to read over this holiday.
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
Educators still using OpenAI products in your teaching: please read this thread and then tell me why it’s so important to maintain a relationship with this gross company and its leaders.
NEW - OpenAI has responded to the lawsuit from the family of Adam Raine, the teen who committed suicide after months of talking to ChatGPT.
November 26, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Educators still using OpenAI products in your teaching: please read this thread and then tell me why it’s so important to maintain a relationship with this gross company and its leaders.
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
My public service announcement for today is that America’s Test Kitchen, which is infinitely better then NYTimes Cooking, has introduced a new gift link option that has no limit on how many you can share and each link lasts 30 days.
November 25, 2025 at 10:05 PM
My public service announcement for today is that America’s Test Kitchen, which is infinitely better then NYTimes Cooking, has introduced a new gift link option that has no limit on how many you can share and each link lasts 30 days.
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
Support independent bookstores always. If you don’t have one near you, you can purchase through bookshop.org and designate any indy store as your “home” store. They will get the credit for your purchase.
Bookshop.org: Buy books online. Support local bookstores.
A better way to buy books online. Every purchase financially supports local independent bookstores.
bookshop.org
November 26, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Support independent bookstores always. If you don’t have one near you, you can purchase through bookshop.org and designate any indy store as your “home” store. They will get the credit for your purchase.
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
Also in this roundup: Dutch media outlets issued an open letter, warning that democracy is threatened because "our society is losing its grip on a fact-finding oriented and pluralistic provision of information due to the dominant role of global tech companies."
Brief aan de informateur namens de Nederlandse mediasector - Stichting Democratie en Media
sdm.nl
November 25, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Also in this roundup: Dutch media outlets issued an open letter, warning that democracy is threatened because "our society is losing its grip on a fact-finding oriented and pluralistic provision of information due to the dominant role of global tech companies."
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
Every regional public university should be blasting this message in every possible medium.
Trying to get us to advertise as: "No AI, small classes, people-first." Or something similar.
Who invests in critical thinking and who invests in an AI chatbot to help you think will be really telling.
November 23, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Every regional public university should be blasting this message in every possible medium.
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
As the third Rocky statue is installed this week (at the airport), there are now almost as many Rocky statues in Philly as there are monuments to actual historic women.
Who are some women you’d like to see honored with a future monument in Philly?
Who are some women you’d like to see honored with a future monument in Philly?
November 23, 2025 at 11:57 PM
As the third Rocky statue is installed this week (at the airport), there are now almost as many Rocky statues in Philly as there are monuments to actual historic women.
Who are some women you’d like to see honored with a future monument in Philly?
Who are some women you’d like to see honored with a future monument in Philly?
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
I don't understand how anyone can watch how blatantly Grok is manipulated to answer the way ownership desires it to and then act like the other LLM chatbots couldn't possibly be similarly but less obviously compromised to produce responses in whatever way corporate interests and priorities dictate.
November 23, 2025 at 7:13 PM
I don't understand how anyone can watch how blatantly Grok is manipulated to answer the way ownership desires it to and then act like the other LLM chatbots couldn't possibly be similarly but less obviously compromised to produce responses in whatever way corporate interests and priorities dictate.
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
My favorite piece of content today.
November 21, 2025 at 8:28 PM
My favorite piece of content today.
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
But the truth will always out. Sunlight is the best disinfectant.
Here is the full article from Bloomberg:
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Here is the full article from Bloomberg:
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Oxford University Has Failed Women Over Harassment Concerns, Staff Say
The university has repeatedly been slow to act against male academics accused of sexual misconduct and inappropriate behavior, a Bloomberg investigation found.
www.bloomberg.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:31 PM
But the truth will always out. Sunlight is the best disinfectant.
Here is the full article from Bloomberg:
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Here is the full article from Bloomberg:
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
"[admin]...who regard the...students of their own universities with such contempt as to be undeserving of the education that in many cases those administrators themselves, or their parents, or their children received...are an enemy of the educational enterprise"
🎁 link
www.wsj.com/opinion/mont...
🎁 link
www.wsj.com/opinion/mont...
Opinion | Montclair State’s Inhumanity to the Humanities
Goodbye, English department. Hello, Institute for Complex Systems and Algorithmic Infused Societies.
www.wsj.com
November 17, 2025 at 9:05 PM
"[admin]...who regard the...students of their own universities with such contempt as to be undeserving of the education that in many cases those administrators themselves, or their parents, or their children received...are an enemy of the educational enterprise"
🎁 link
www.wsj.com/opinion/mont...
🎁 link
www.wsj.com/opinion/mont...
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
New civic education news roundup from me on @the-renovator.bsky.social! Starting with the UVA president’s public letter about his ouster and more academic freedom conflicts, but also lots of events and a few great new publications.
therenovator.substack.com/p/civic-educ...
therenovator.substack.com/p/civic-educ...
Civic Education News Roundup: A Fiery Resignation Letter, a Big Court Ruling, and More Chaos on Top of a Busy Season of Events
“If I did not resign that day, I was told that the DOJ would extract/block hundreds of millions of dollars from UVA before they would even negotiate.”
therenovator.substack.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:15 PM
New civic education news roundup from me on @the-renovator.bsky.social! Starting with the UVA president’s public letter about his ouster and more academic freedom conflicts, but also lots of events and a few great new publications.
therenovator.substack.com/p/civic-educ...
therenovator.substack.com/p/civic-educ...
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
Whomst among us hasn't felt a little vacuum about snackie all done
November 18, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Whomst among us hasn't felt a little vacuum about snackie all done
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
This all-male panel is deciding whether South Carolina women can be charged with murder for their pregnancies — and whether birth control and pro-choice websites stay legal.
This a real thing happening today. Don't look away.
This a real thing happening today. Don't look away.
November 18, 2025 at 10:57 PM
This all-male panel is deciding whether South Carolina women can be charged with murder for their pregnancies — and whether birth control and pro-choice websites stay legal.
This a real thing happening today. Don't look away.
This a real thing happening today. Don't look away.
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
Somewhere in the multiverse there is a Warren Presidency, and I wish I could verse-jump to it. #everythingfeministeverywhereallatonce
"If he had so little ability to distance himself from Jeffrey Epstein even after all that was publicly known about Epstein's sex offenses involving underage girls, then Summers cannot… teach a generation of students at Harvard or anywhere else." - @warren.senate.gov
www.cnn.com/2025/11/17/p...
www.cnn.com/2025/11/17/p...
November 18, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Somewhere in the multiverse there is a Warren Presidency, and I wish I could verse-jump to it. #everythingfeministeverywhereallatonce
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
"The "We Ain't Buying It" boycott calls on consumers to shop at "small, local, or with businesses affirming our humanity" as they avoid Home Depot stores."
Home Depot to suffer massive boycott from holiday shoppers
Home Depot's sales during the holiday season may take a major hit.
www.charlotteobserver.com
November 17, 2025 at 6:00 AM
"The "We Ain't Buying It" boycott calls on consumers to shop at "small, local, or with businesses affirming our humanity" as they avoid Home Depot stores."
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
It is genuinely incredible to me how much evidence there is to support investing in the public good and how much animus there is to do this simple, effective thing.
November 18, 2025 at 3:00 AM
It is genuinely incredible to me how much evidence there is to support investing in the public good and how much animus there is to do this simple, effective thing.
New civic education news roundup from me on @the-renovator.bsky.social! Starting with the UVA president’s public letter about his ouster and more academic freedom conflicts, but also lots of events and a few great new publications.
therenovator.substack.com/p/civic-educ...
therenovator.substack.com/p/civic-educ...
Civic Education News Roundup: A Fiery Resignation Letter, a Big Court Ruling, and More Chaos on Top of a Busy Season of Events
“If I did not resign that day, I was told that the DOJ would extract/block hundreds of millions of dollars from UVA before they would even negotiate.”
therenovator.substack.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:15 PM
New civic education news roundup from me on @the-renovator.bsky.social! Starting with the UVA president’s public letter about his ouster and more academic freedom conflicts, but also lots of events and a few great new publications.
therenovator.substack.com/p/civic-educ...
therenovator.substack.com/p/civic-educ...
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
One girl said “it doesn’t matter if you ban a book because everyone can find that information online” and then I blew their minds by talking about how your search history can be monitored and sold to the government without your permission, but your library borrowing history requires a warrant.
November 18, 2025 at 1:26 AM
One girl said “it doesn’t matter if you ban a book because everyone can find that information online” and then I blew their minds by talking about how your search history can be monitored and sold to the government without your permission, but your library borrowing history requires a warrant.
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
How do I know that the next generation of economists will be impacted by how these institutions react?
"Exposure to a field-specific faculty sexual misconduct incident decreases degree completion in that field by 3.4 percent four years after the incident." 🙃
#news #harvard #econsky
"Exposure to a field-specific faculty sexual misconduct incident decreases degree completion in that field by 3.4 percent four years after the incident." 🙃
#news #harvard #econsky
📣 New NBER Working Paper out today 📣
"The Consequences of Faculty Sexual Misconduct"
Sarah Cohodes & Katherine Leu
"The Consequences of Faculty Sexual Misconduct"
Sarah Cohodes & Katherine Leu
November 18, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
Two weeks into a new program that gives New Mexico children free childcare, officials are opening up about the surge that happened day one & how it’s been moving forward. In just a short time, the state said thousands of children are now enrolled in free childcare, & daycares are lining up to join.
www.krqe.com
November 16, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Two weeks into a new program that gives New Mexico children free childcare, officials are opening up about the surge that happened day one & how it’s been moving forward. In just a short time, the state said thousands of children are now enrolled in free childcare, & daycares are lining up to join.
Reposted by Joanna Kenty
a big runoff last night, in New Orleans:
Calvin Duncan was exonerated after spending *28 years* in prison; he tried to get his own case records from the New Orleans city clerk—but the office dragged its feet.
So Duncan ran to become city clerk himself, and yesterday ousted the incumbent.
Calvin Duncan was exonerated after spending *28 years* in prison; he tried to get his own case records from the New Orleans city clerk—but the office dragged its feet.
So Duncan ran to become city clerk himself, and yesterday ousted the incumbent.
Calvin Duncan wins Orleans clerk of court race - Verite News New Orleans
Duncan, a political newcomer and former prisoner, defeated incumbent Darren Lombard by a wide margin in Saturday's runoff.
veritenews.org
November 16, 2025 at 4:09 PM
a big runoff last night, in New Orleans:
Calvin Duncan was exonerated after spending *28 years* in prison; he tried to get his own case records from the New Orleans city clerk—but the office dragged its feet.
So Duncan ran to become city clerk himself, and yesterday ousted the incumbent.
Calvin Duncan was exonerated after spending *28 years* in prison; he tried to get his own case records from the New Orleans city clerk—but the office dragged its feet.
So Duncan ran to become city clerk himself, and yesterday ousted the incumbent.