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RadicalRistich

In his own words

Waterford School Board member Michael Ristich wrote his doctoral dissertation on anarchism. He calls it “the most radical, egalitarian, democratic, and rhetorical (anti-)politics.” He sneers at Tea Party patriots in tricorne hats. And he joked that making kids recite the Declaration of Independence is “sure to bore students to the point of revolution.” Now he wants your vote to keep his seat on the board that sets what Waterford kids learn.

Read the quotes Before you vote
Seat
Waterford School BoardBoard member since 2019, on the Nov. 3 ballot 4
Backed by
The MEAMichigan Education Association 2026 recommendation 3
Dissertation
“Without Content”Rhetoric, American Anarchism, and the End(s) of Radical Politics 1
Day job
Michigan StateFaculty page lists “Radical Politics” as a research area 2

Don't take our word. Take his.

Every quote below is copied word for word from Ristich's 2013 dissertation, with the printed page number. The full document is public. Read it yourself.

A

He mocked kids reciting the Declaration of Independence.

And, what is sure to bore students to the point of revolution, the Texas State Board of Education proposed that “[e]ach school district shall require that, during Celebrate Freedom Week…students in Grades 3-12 study and recite” the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence.Ristich dissertation, p. 131
…the Texas State Board of Education rewrite its social studies curriculum to reflect an overt conservatism. The changes included dramatically playing up the role of Christianity in influencing the American Revolution…Ristich dissertation, pp. 120–121
Plain English

A school board standing up for American history is “overt conservatism” to him. Kids learning the words “all men are created equal” is a punchline.

B

He calls anarchism the ideal.

…gives us good reason to connect the goals of critical thought to anarchism: the most radical, egalitarian, democratic, and rhetorical (anti-)politics.Ristich dissertation, p. 122
Painted as such, this rhetoric—a rhetoric “without content”—provides the framework for seven billion Declarations of Independence: the beginning of anarchy.Ristich dissertation, p. 150 · the final sentence
Plain English

The last words of his 150-page dissertation aren't a warning about anarchy. They're a goal.

C

He sneers at Tea Party patriots.

Bitter Tea: Angry, Old, Rich, White Men as Persecuted and Disenfranchised VictimsSection heading, Ristich dissertation, p. 126
Tea Partiers… are not afraid to effectively remix history in order to aesthetically self-fashion themselves as members of a victimized minority group.p. 128
Despite the seemingly adolescent and awkward donning of tricorne hats, flying of the Gadsen flag, and wholesale assuming of the Revolutionary ethos by the Tea Party…p. 136
…the uptake of critical thought among today’s far-right conservatives…Ristich dissertation, p. 122
Plain English

Taxpayers who fly the “Don't Tread on Me” flag are “adolescent” and “awkward” to him, and he files them under angry, old, rich, white men.

D

He's sour on capitalism.

In what follows, I endorse the form of today’s conservative politics, but, it is important to note, I am generally weary [sic] of the Tea Party’s political goals, particularly its desire for an unfettered capitalism.Ristich dissertation, p. 122
Plain English

He likes how conservatives argue. What he's wary of is what they want, and free markets top his list.

E

It started in a Marx reading group.

Eventually, because of my involvement in the Marx/Das Kapital Reading Group and my reading in the ancient rhetorical tradition, I began laying the foundation for a dissertation project examining the connections between radical politics and rhetorical theory.Autobiographical Statement, Ristich dissertation
I am currently a fixed-term faculty member in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures at Michigan State University, where I teach “Law and Justice in America,” “Radical Thought in America,” and “Preparation for College Writing.”Autobiographical Statement, Ristich dissertation (2013)
Plain English

In his own telling, his project grew out of reading Marx's Das Kapital. He taught “Radical Thought in America.” Today his Michigan State faculty page still lists “Radical Politics” as a research area.

Sure to bore students to the point of revolution

That's how Michael Ristich described students in grades 3–12 reciting the opening of the Declaration of Independence. Waterford parents deserve a board member who wants kids to learn it.

Ristich dissertation, p. 131
Anarchy is his ideal.“The most radical, egalitarian, democratic, and rhetorical (anti-)politics.”
Patriots are his punchline.“Seemingly adolescent and awkward donning of tricorne hats.”
The Declaration bores him.Reciting it is “sure to bore students to the point of revolution.”

Waterford deserves better.

School board races are on the back of your ballot, with no party labels. Flip your ballot over and vote in this race.

Just don't vote for Michael Ristich or his fellow radical, Kristen Wagner.

Early voting Oct. 24 – Nov. 1Election Day Nov. 3Return your absentee ballot now
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Waterford School Board

Back of your ballot · nonpartisan section

Michael RistichMEA pick · wrote his dissertation on anarchism
Kristen WagnerMEA pick · his fellow radical
Vote this race. Just not for them.
Ristich and Wagner are the MEA's picks for Waterford. 3

Read it yourself

Michael John Ristich, Without Content: Rhetoric, American Anarchism, and the End(s) of Radical Politics. Ph.D. dissertation, English (Rhetoric and Composition), Wayne State University, 2013. Open access on Wayne State's Digital Commons. Page numbers on this site are the printed page numbers in the document.

Open the dissertation

Sources

  1. Michael John Ristich, “Without Content: Rhetoric, American Anarchism, And The End(s) Of Radical Politics” (2013), Wayne State University Dissertations, Paper 691: pp. 120–122, 126, 128, 131, 136, 150 and the Autobiographical Statement.
  2. Michael Ristich faculty profile, Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures, Michigan State University (Research Areas: “Rhetorical Theory, Critical Theory, Pedagogy, Radical Politics”).
  3. “MEA announces full list of candidate recommendations for Election 2026,” Michigan Education Association, 9/23/26.
  4. Waterford School District Board of Education minutes, 2/19/26; Branch.vote candidate profile (appointed 2019, term expires 2026); Oakland County Clerk, Official Candidate List, Nov. 3, 2026 General Election.