Relatedly, Idk why you have that number in your sn, but it's something I would encourage reconsidering if you don't want people to wonder if it's a dogwhistle.

Oh, I had to look that up. It's not a dogwhistle, it's a random instantiation of an available user name. But anyone who so much as glances at my comments can see that I'm not what your veiled accusation suggest I am. And now enough, not sure why I engaged.

*suggests

It's not an accusation. I didn't assume. I just wanted to let you know this random instantiation contains a number that many Internet users may find worrisome.

Here's the thing: I left because of education, in no small part because I learned that it is not possible to teach people who don't want to learn; the culture that needs to change is resistant to education and usually punishes those who offer it. Anti-intellectualism is a problematic part of this.

I grew up in Kentucky. I left. I know exactly what you're talking about, but arguing against efforts to improve education as somehow futile is unproductive, in my opinion. You just give up on all the smart kids in stupid states?

No, I don't. I help folks get out and get safe. I literally was working on expanding access to tech education for rural and underrepresented kids before the federal funding cuts axed my whole position. We are not the ones giving up on kids; conservatives are. We reach them online, at least for now.

I'm really sorry about your job. We need your work.