Writing

Essays & bylines.

Writing on education, liberty, unorthodox careers, and other topics of interest. The first section is posts native to the site; the second section is a collection of work that's run elsewhere.

Latest essays

2026

Follow the Give

How a writing career actually gets built — the emergent path, the signals worth following, and why the long game is an original voice. Written for the FEE Hazlitt Fellowship.

Read →

2026On education

How Colonial America’s Literacy Rates Shaped the Revolution

Colonial America hit 70% literacy with no schools, no budget, and no mandates. Two centuries and a trillion dollars a year later, we’ve barely matched it.

Read →

See all essays →

Published elsewhere

February 10, 2026

Mississippi's Literacy Miracle: How Holding Students Back Moved a Whole State Forward

Despite its persistent poverty, Mississippi dramatically improved literacy outcomes — offering a case study in high-impact, low-cost reform.

Read ↗The Daily Economyalso inThe Epoch Times ↗

November 2, 2025

A Record Tax Hike Could End Austin's Boomtown Era

The people and companies who made Austin a boomtown came fleeing high taxes elsewhere; a record hike gives them a reason to leave again.

Read ↗National Review

September 24, 2025

Seven Minutes Outside: The Collapse of Childhood Play

Kids are getting just 4–7 minutes a day of unstructured outdoor play. Overscheduling and anxiety are wreaking havoc on America's youngest generation.

Read ↗The Daily Economyalso inThe Epoch Times ↗ZeroHedge ↗

August 26, 2025

She Couldn't Read Her Own Diploma: Why Public Schools Pass Students But Fail Society

Even with record-high per-student spending, the broken status quo has left 1 in 5 Americans functionally illiterate. Schools refuse to reform.

Read ↗The Daily Economyalso inThe Epoch Times ↗ZeroHedge ↗

April 3, 2022

Equality of Opportunity, Not Outcome, Is What Made America Awesome

If we truly want to raise the living standards for everyone, we must promote equality of opportunity—not spend our time policing equality of outcome.

Read ↗FEE

December 28, 2020

Why a Childhood of Play Is the Best Education

My education was helpful — but only to the extent that I'd been given the freedom to play with it.

Read ↗FEEalso inThe Epoch Times ↗

See all bylines →