About me
My Story
About Me
I am a father, an author, a professor, and an organizational leader. I am father and stepfather to five children, the oldest of which suffered a brain injury and developmental challenges. I have authored six books, including most recently A Culture of Justice (SUNY Press 2025). I am a philosopher by training, serving as professor of Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation at the University of Kentucky, where I am also director of the Democracy, Ethics, and Educational Philosophy (DEEP) research group. Since 2010, I have served as executive director of the Society of Philosophers in America (SOPHIA).
In 2024, I received the University of Kentucky Alumni Association Great Teacher Award. When I taught at the University of Mississippi from 2007 to 2016, I was awarded the 2011 Cora Lee Graham Award for Outstanding Teaching and the 2012 Thomas F. Frist Student Service Award, from the College of Liberal Arts and the University of Mississippi, respectively. The Mississippi Humanities Council selected me for the Humanities Scholar Award in their Public Humanities program in 2015.
I earned my bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Communication Studies from Vanderbilt University and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy from Ohio University and Southern Illinois University. I am on sabbatical in the fall of 2026.
“There is a shared, public obligation to establish and maintain a culture that maximally fosters self-respect in all people and a sense of their own positive power to pursue meaningful life plans.”
“To sum up what might be Dewey’s most important contributions for the public, I suggest that they are that wisdom is meant to be for everyone and can come from anyone and that learning and education should be thought of as lifelong, for real education is much more than schooling. It is democratic life itself.”
“Good leadership is judicious yet courageous guidance.”
“Ultimately, we cannot teach children respect if we do not respect them in the first place.”
“A great leader must have the ability and the vision to capture and creatively articulate the problems of those whom he or she represents… In this sense, the first and most fundamental tasks of leadership are the processes of coming to identify one’s own experience with the experiences of others and of offering a formulation of the frustrations, as well as the vision, that can most beautifully and effectively inspire in people a sense of purpose and solidarity.”
“The fullest development of individuals and society ought to be a central aim of education. If this value must be expressed in terms of equality, then it must be equality of opportunity to thrive and flourish according to one’s nature—to one’s natural abilities, talents, and determination… People are not the same. This means that their education should be open in an equal way for each to find opportunities to grow.”
The Democracy, Ethics, and Educational Philosophy (DEEP) research group
In partnership with colleagues at the University of Kentucky and elsewhere, as well as with current and former students, a team of scholars and I have worked to launch the Democracy, Ethics, and Educational Philosophy research group in 2026. Here’s information about who we are as a group and a link to learn more, if you’re interested.
Who We Are
The Democracy, Ethics, and Educational Philosophy (DEEP) research group founded in the University of Kentucky’s College of Education is committed to fostering a deep understanding of democratic principles, ethical practices, and educational philosophies that empower individuals and communities to engage thoughtfully and responsibly in dialogue and action in schools, colleges, and society. Driven by a passion for civic integrity, moral inquiry, and transformative education, our initiative aims to cultivate scholarly excellence, inspire active civic participation, and promote ethically grounded pedagogies. Through innovative programs, community engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration, we strive to build a vibrant ecosystem where ideas flourish, voices are heard, and lasting contributions are made toward a wiser, more just, and democratic society.
On A Culture of Justice
A pleasure to read, A Culture of Justice will appeal to a wide audience of social and political philosophers, scholars and practitioners of education, and people thinking about racial justice. Weber makes clear the relevance of the great American pragmatists to addressing current social and political problems such as poverty, hate speech, and racism.
On a presentation about A Culture of Justice
I cannot thank you enough for that wonderful event on Thursday. My class was transfixed… you really had everyone’s complete attention. I’ve received a number of comments about it, and I think a few people are going to do their final projects using your work.
On Uniting Mississippi
This superbly researched and written book defines more clearly than anything that I have read in recent years the elements that are essential for a democratic political system to fulfill its proper mission. Coming as it does in a time of diminished public decision-making capability, particularly at the national governmental level, this volume points the way out of our current malaise. It should be read by every citizen who wants to see our system work as well as it is capable of. As a former governor of Mississippi, I can attest to the value of the wise and pragmatic counsel which it contains.
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