Sign in

Blair Matthews

@blairteacher.bsky.social
282 followers 468 following 227 posts

Digital Education | TESOL | International Education | Teacher Education | Everton About me: linktr.ee/blairteacher

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Blair Matthews
TEFL Workers' Union @teflunion.bsky.social · 5h
💪 When bosses let workers down, #solidarity steps up! We’ve set up a hardship fund for EC members and are pursuing a legal claim over the redundancies. ⚖️ Worked at EC? Contact tefl@iww.org.uk to get involved! teflworkersunion.org...
021
Reposted by Blair Matthews
TEFL Workers' Union @teflunion.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Worked at EC? We’ve got your back! The TEFL #Union is pursuing a legal claim against the company, so if you or anyone you know worked at EC, it’s tefl@iww.org.uk to get involved. teflworkersunion.org...
032
Reposted by Blair Matthews
ETUI @etui.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
📗 Join us on 12 November for the launch of the upcoming ETUI volume, 'Regulating AI and algorithmic management through collective bargaining: Evidence from country case studies' Register here before 28 October 🔗 etui.org/4A2
076
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Antonio E. Porreca 🐳 @aeporreca.org · 07/10/2026
The Association for Human Mathematics (AHM) statement on OpenAI’s October 6 release of mathematical documents just dropped! www.ahmath.org/statements
AHM Statement on OpenAI’s October 6 Release of Mathematical Documents

Yesterday, on October 6th, 2026, OpenAI – which is currently defending lawsuits against accusations of illegal plagiarism, copyright infringement, and trademark dilution – released a repository of manuscripts purporting to contain solutions to a number of high-profile problems in mathematics.

Mathematicians did not ask for this work to be done. The Advisory Group on Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence, from whom OpenAI has claimed to derive its legitimacy, opened their initial advisory statement by saying that frontier AI corporations should not test advanced mathematical problems on internal models. In ignoring the central premise of the Advisory Group’s position, OpenAI has indicated total disregard for the norms of scientific research — norms that guarantee that mathematics remains trustworthy, ethically researched, and in the public interest.

Mathematicians have a particular vision of progress that is informed by history and field-specific considerations. We reject OpenAI's assertion that this release advances our subject, and we urge mathematicians and the public to view the value of this publication model with due skepticism. 

Releasing over 700 files at once is not a demonstration of scholarship, but a demonstration of power. We urge mathematicians to discontinue their work with OpenAI and to return to a vision of science that centers human understanding.

Association for Human Mathematics
Communications Working Group
14440202
Blair Matthews @blairteacher.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Bus is 30 minutes late this morning but had it been on time I'd have missed the boat.
Old style sailboat passing Crail harbour in the morning
000
Reposted by Blair Matthews
TEFL Workers' Union @teflunion.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
It’s not #TEFL, but our friends in the #IWW Brewery Workers Union get a shout out. Also, David is a legend. #SupportYourLocalPub #SupportTheWorkers
2115
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Nick Pettigrew @nick-pettigrew.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
It seems apt that Manchester City fans adopted the Poznan, a celebration where everybody looks the other way.
6556169
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Oldfirmfacts @oldfirmfacts.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Fouling an opponent to prevent a goal, getting sent off for it and then conceding from the free-kick anyway
08118
Reposted by Blair Matthews
University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 28/09/2026
Our members at Edinburgh University commence a 5 week strike today over crippling job cuts. Please show them solidarity as they head onto picket lines this morning.
37245
Reposted by Blair Matthews
TEFL Workers' Union @teflunion.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Today! 🎬 Come watch Pride with the London IWW! ⏰ 6:30pm 📍 May Day Rooms Q&A with LGSM founding member Ray Goodspeed. Plus drinks, raffle & merch. All proceeds support EC workers made redundant 🎟️ www.eventbrite.com/e...
044
Blair Matthews @blairteacher.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Rest in peace, 5 is no age at all.
Bletchley code breaker Betty Webb dies aged 101
000
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Julia Partheymüller @schnizzl.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Reporters Without Borders tested six AI chatbots and found that three produced full summaries of news from RT, Sputnik, and other EU-sanctioned Russian outlets with links and quotes. www.euronews.com/2026/09/23/a...
euronews.com
AI serves up content from Russia's sanctioned state outlets, RSF finds
Reporters Without Borders tested six AI chatbots by requesting news from RT, Sputnik, and other EU-sanctioned Russian outlets, and found that three produced full summaries with links and quotes, somet...
02418
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Jana Bacevic 🌲🌳✊🏴 @unsocialtheory.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
"anti-migrant" is a euphemism. migrants are not vaccines, mosquitoes, wars, or racism (all nouns for which the prefix anti- is commonly used to denote opposition to, or action designed to kill/harm/obstruct). migrants are human beings. "anti-migrant protesters" are "pro-crimes-against-humanity".
0219
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Joanne Harris @joannechocolat.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Turned down last week: 2 festivals with no budget for speakers 1 writing course with no budget for teachers 1 film project with no budget to option the book - plus they wanted me to write the screenplay. For free. Don't do it, kids. Don't work for free. Because to them, what's free is worthless.
532021401
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco @joshpizpom.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
EXC: 90 programmes in Edinburgh University's College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences are to be closed. The casualties, which include 48 language and literature programmes, will be 'taught out', w/ no admissions after 2027. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2655839...
heraldscotland.com
Ninety programmes to close at leading university as savings plan takes shape
According to the document, a total of 90 programmes will be “taught out” over the next several years, including 48 in the School of Language.
17111149
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Everton Football Club (MIRROR) @evertonfc1878.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Evertonians. 🤝 British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are both in attendance for tonight’s game at Hill Dickinson Stadium. 🔵 x.com/Everton/status/21002911244725…
23610
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Everton Football Club (MIRROR) @evertonfc1878.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
'I'm very excited!' 🔵🇨🇦 Canadian Prime Minister and Evertonian Mark Carney has arrived at Hill Dickinson for tonight's clash. x.com/Everton/status/21002820051831…
13914
Reposted by Blair Matthews
TEFL Workers' Union @teflunion.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
A number of big #TEFL chains have had some major changes recently. Your #union is here to make sure that you #KnowYourRights and have the support you need. Legal guidance on redundancies, closures, and takeovers ⬇️ teflworkersunion.org...
021
Blair Matthews @blairteacher.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Make a band edible: Smashed pumpkins Manic street vendors The Jam on toast Credence Clearwater Revival IPA New Order by scanning the QR code Johnny Cash only Grandmaster flash fried vegetables Fleetwood macaroni cheese Stealers cheese wheel Can I see The Specials?
000
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Dr. Johnathan Flowers, Bisexual of the Blade (Alt-text or DIE) @shengokai.blacksky.app · 12/09/2026
Fixed that for you.
An image of academic fields arranged by purity. in ascending order: sociologists, psychologists, biologists, chemists, physicists, and mathematicians furthest to the right. Underlying all of them are epistemological philosophers who appear to be supporting the whole thing.

While this is technically true, many fields owe their existence to philosophy or draw directly upon philosophy for its theories. The American Psychological Association, for example, used to meet concurrently with philosophy and William James and John Dewey were founding members.

That said, the argument about purity of fields is largely useless as fields developed to engage in inquiry into specific areas. To put them in competition is to fail to realize that we all can learn something from the other and that no one field has a claim to ultimate truth. Not even philosophy.
1635069
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Roger Watt @rjwatt42.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
#JasonArday I am just finishing this now. It’s a really easy, inspiring testament to read. Until you remember that there will be no part 2 because the inspiration had to be destroyed by those who can’t inspire.
1134
Reposted by Blair Matthews
European Educational Research Association - EERA @ecer-eera.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Join the second online NW23 Panel on Digital Governance of Education: Governing Digital Education in Practice: Data, AI, and Everyday Accountability. 12 November, 11:00–12:30 CET. Details and registration: eera-ecer.de/networks/23-policy-stu…
Colorful post its with text EERA Network Event
031
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Glennyrodge @glennyrodge.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
If you want to show your support for the RNLI, you can do so here. rnli.org/pages/ig/new...
rnli.org
Donate to the RNLI and help save lives at sea
Your donations really make a difference. We depend on your generosity to educate people to stay safe and prevent tragedies on and offshore. Donate here.
04019
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Mic Wright @brokenbottleboy.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
The Times has run a story this morning about how ‘polite’ the masked men in Dover were to three white ladies on a train. Propaganda in its clumsiest form.
1091633215
Blair Matthews @blairteacher.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
View over Crail harbour this morning.
View or Crail Harbour with rainbow.
010
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Davis Bickford @davis.social · 30/08/2026
Photo of a part of the sticker wall, near the gum wall in Seattle. A large glued poster of a cat holding a sign reads, “A.I. IS DẠTA
& CAN ONLY LOOK AT WHERE WE'VE BEEN.
CREATIVITY IS TRYING TO SEE WHERE WE CAN GO.”
12140213992
Reposted by Blair Matthews
The Toffee Blues @evertonnewsfeed.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
🚨The Friedkin Group have decide not to sell Harrison Armstrong. The deal was at an advanced stage but after deliberations including Dan Friedkin they have unanimously decided to keep the midfielder (Source - @david-ornstein.bsky.social )
2183
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Heather Burns @heatherburnstech.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
I know the world is tough right now but this week a) Tim Curry re-entered the world and b) informed us that Frank-N-Furter was born at The Barras. I take my joy where I can get it.

Let's talk about "Rocky Horror." Can you describe how you created the look for Frank-N-Furter?
I didn't really create it myself. I was grimly unaware when I read the role and started to rehearse it that the national costume of Transylvania was a corset and whatever else you put with it. But the costume designer, Sue Blane, had worked with me before in a remarkable repertory theatre in Glasgow, Scotland, called the Citizens Theatre, where we had done a production of "The Maids," by Jean Genet. I played one of the rather grubby sisters, Solange. And Sue designed that outfit. For "Rocky Horror," she went to a market in Glasgow called the Barras, where all kinds of crap was sold, and she found a Victorian corset for three pounds. I wore it back to front.
2134
Reposted by Blair Matthews
(spo)okie 🎃 @okie.gay · 25/08/2026
Texas’s drag ban was found to be unconstitutional this morning and one of the plaintiffs who brought the suit was an Austin-based drag queen who often impersonates Dolly Dolly was named in the final judgement itself and after hearing about the lawsuit, she sent that drag queen a signed guitar
21113512634
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Séamas Aloysius @seamusaloysius.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
The Lewis chess pieces, c. late 12th – early 13th century AD. Found in 1831, on a beach at Uig, Lewis, Scotland. Made in Probably Trondheim, Norway. Made from Walrus ivory and sperm whale tooth. Height: 60-100mm. National Museum of Scotland.
The Lewis chess pieces, c. late 12th – early 13th century AD. Found in 1831, on a beach at Uig, Lewis, Scotland. Made in Probably Trondheim, Norway. Made from Walrus ivory and sperm whale tooth. Height: 60-100mm. National Museum of Scotland.
1645499
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Natasha Singer @natashanyt.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
I've covered school tech for the @nytimes.com for a decade. And I'm still fascinated by how Big Tech makes products like Chromebooks and A.I. chatbots seem urgent in schools. Our story today brings you inside that powerful industry playbook for influencing schools. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/23/b...
nytimes.com
How Big Tech Captured American Schools (Gift Article)
Companies like Google and Microsoft have used their money, their might and their massive reach to influence nearly every step of the education supply chain.
69137
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Chance the Lawyer @chancethelawyer.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
say what you will about the myriad valid concerns with current LLMs but I personally will never get over the fact that Aaron Swartz was prosecuted to his literal death for downloading JSTOR and then a decade later, they downloaded & ingested the entire world and our IP laws just went ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
4645471568
Reposted by Blair Matthews
EFC Statto @efcstatto.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is the first #EFC player to score a goal in a competitive game under an Everton-supporting UK Prime Minister.
0304
Blair Matthews @blairteacher.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
New season, New optimism #utft
static.klipy.com
James Rodríguez: Everton FC Signing
Alt: James Rodríguez: Everton FC Signing
000
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Patrick Boyland @paddyboyland.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
South Stand flags, courtesy of @the1878s.bsky.social 👏🏻
0361
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Huw C. Davies @huwcdavies.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Cofnas is a member of the community that Hope Not Hate went undercover to expose last year, as shown on C4. They all contribute to Aporia, a legacy of The Pioneer Fund. You’d think this would be common knowledge among journalists.
27637
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Middle East Eye (Unofficial) @middleeasteye-rss.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Jason Arday's marathon challenge and football claims found to be true after his death - www.middleeasteye.net/news/jason-ar…
middleeasteye.net
Jason Arday's marathon challenge and football claims found to be true after his death
Claims the late academic made which were widely derided as false in media and online discourse this month appear to be true, an MEE analysis has found
19903387
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Carole Cadwalladr @carolecadwalla.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
A professor writes: (Jason Stanley) The problem is that journalists failed to do basic journalism. Not a single reporter seems to have checked’ Jason Arday’s citations. The ‘quantifiable metrics’ of his work. Prof Stanley did: ‘Arday is easily comparable to the leading scholars in the field’
6126801064
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Simon Coates @simonjcoates.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
The only reason I can think of as to why there are fewer than 50,000 signatures here is that people haven't seen it yet. — Jason Arday: Demand a public inquiry now — goodlawproject.org/petition/jas...
goodlawproject.org
Jason Arday: Demand a public inquiry now | Good Law Project
Commission an immediate public inquiry into how to ensure a responsible press given its contribution to Dr Arday’s tragic death.
13176154
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Dr Eleanor Janega @goingmedieval.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
If you haven't already, can you please take a minute to sign this demand for a public inquiry into the role of the media in Prof. Arday's death? Thanks so much. Jason Arday: Demand a public inquiry now | Good Law Project share.google/yglZz4Gw42RJ...
share.google
Jason Arday: Demand a public inquiry now | Good Law Project
Commission an immediate public inquiry into how to ensure a responsible press given its contribution to Dr Arday’s tragic death.
21790453
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Ebony Elizabeth Thomas @ebonyteach.blacksky.app · 15/08/2026
Listen, if Black writers are going to have our work scoured for plagiarism, let's go through EVERYONE's work. Every single one! By the way, the powers that be are foisting AI - literal plagiarism machines! - on everyone right now! Maddening. You can't internalize their hypocrisy. You'll go mad.
936278
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Dr Michele V @micheleveldsman.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
I would like this to be required reading for all academics in light of the harassment and bullying of Jason Arday paulddf.substack.com/p/who-killed...
paulddf.substack.com
Who Killed Jason Arday?
Earlier this afternoon, my oldest boyhood friend, a distinguished international lawyer who received his doctorate at Cambridge, called me to share the tragic news that Jason Arday, the Black British a...
34219
Blair Matthews @blairteacher.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Also, fuck the Guardian.
110
Blair Matthews @blairteacher.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Really shocked and saddened to hear about Jason Arday. Rest in peace.
000
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Charlotte Lydia Riley @lottelydia.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Or, in fact, not really a news story at all. I don’t believe at all that this was nationally important and certainly not “third on the BBC 6 o’clock news” important as a story. Cofnas started all of this because he’s a racist and the media ran with it.
131191211
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Aparna Nair @disabilitystor1.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
"something like the Minority Report...most of them had Moroccan names...they got house visits, got school visits...the self-fulfilling prophecy making it so." Monstrous story of the Dutch state using AI to "predict" which children would be "violent" Everyone should listen to this.
57549
Reposted by Blair Matthews
852dude @852dude.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Bro. People are cool as fuck.
274164112319
Reposted by Blair Matthews
Philip @blumphy.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Total eclipse - Praya de Palma Genuinely got quite emotional and I had zero interest in it
1710118
Blair Matthews @blairteacher.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
One of our doctoral students has published a book on working conditions in ELT. Please check it out: "Beyond the Classroom: Redefining Identity and Professional Growth in Freelance ELT" lauraedwards.lemonsqueezy.com/checkout
lauraedwards.lemonsqueezy.com
000
Reposted by Blair Matthews
doctorjdove.bsky.social @doctorjdove.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Tributes paid as comedian Jimmy Cricket dies aged 80 after short illness www.lep.co.uk/news/jimmy-c...
lep.co.uk
"Our beloved Jimmy passed away" Tributes paid as comedian Jimmy Cricket dies aged 80
"Forever our clown, he was cracking jokes to the wonderful NHS staff and to us all right until the end. :
011