Re-reading Leaves of Grass to celebrate the nation and came to my favorite part: This is basically just the intro to College Game Day, 19th-century style.

I was trying to make this case to folks the other night. What a gift to see every team with a diasporic rooting section.

Mexico has already beaten England

the humanities aren’t dying they’re being ceded to the right wing

If y’all can help out, this is a kid from my homeroom who needs an immigration attorney. He’s a great kid. www.gofundme.com/f/jonathan-o...

Over the last three weeks at Book Riot, I've put together what I think is one of the most important series of posts for those working in and using public libraries (& those who love them, period). It's an exploration of youth privacy and the policies regarding youth card registration & access.

In the SBOE meeting room, Thomas Jefferson was an abolitionist. Ayn Rand essays are classical literature. Forcing students to read Bible passages is religious freedom, and the separation of church and state is a long-exploded myth, like the flat earth… franklinstrong.substack.com/p/can-the-te...

Without minimizing the awful reading list the Tx SBOE passed this week, I do want to celebrate this one Eater egg: this letter by Kurt Vonnegut is now required reading for all 11th graders. At least Texas kids will learn about the damage book banners friends have caused this state.

Without minimizing the awful reading list the Tx SBOE passed this week, I do want to celebrate this one Eater egg: this letter by Kurt Vonnegut is now required reading for all 11th graders. At least Texas kids will learn about the damage book banners friends have caused this state.

read closely

From start to finish the Texas State Board of Education has sold their Christian nationalist reading list with dishonesty, relying on people not paying attention to what they’re saying. Enough.

Julie Pickren’s “Let them eat cake” moment. Texas is “flushed with cash” thanks to Greg Abbott, she says, so we can afford all new books. My daughter’s district just closed 10 schools, cut support staff, & increased class sizes to make up for a $200 mil budget shortfall. The room was incredulous.

Time for a new board. Let’s get to work. www.houstonpress.com/news/rip-to-...

You say one bad word about “oh, it is Texas,” you’re blocked because you’re ignorant as hell. This won’t stop here. It’s a blueprint.

Time to turn our attention to getting a better State Board of Education.

Morrison continues "Some of the controversy, however, has degenerated into ...specious and silly arguments about politics (the destabilizing forces are dismissed as merely political; the status quo sees itself as not)." Quite on target w/ the TX SBOE. 2/2 @frankstrong.bsky.social

When I say Texas lawmakers dgaf, the hoods are off, this is what I mean

Texas schools may get more Bible, less world history in proposed curriculum www.axios.com/local/austin...

Here is the testimony I offered at Monday's State Board of Educatikn hearing. Under their new, proposed curriculum, the history of my family will be whitewashed behind recognition. I doubt what I said will change minds, but I'm proud to have gone there, and to have said it.

Going through clips & photos from Monday’s public testimony at the Texas SBOE regarding the new proposed reading lists and social studies standards, and WOW. Here are some of the most remarkable moments. This is going to be loooong thread:

When you sit through 10 hours of Texas State Board of Education nonsense and bigotry, you deserve a reward. I’ll have a write-up soon, but I need to turn my brain off for the night.

@frankstrong.bsky.social is up! More work on the HS list. TEA said balance local and canon. Defines canon. Invites Francis to chat about the canon. Throws out Teen’s Guide as not canonical. Asks where Cisneros is. Calls out 3 examples as not canonical or classical. Cut the subpar

“Testifiers, can you please take this outside?” Things you hear at the Texas State Board of Education meeting.

On Monday, I'm testifying against the required book list proposed for grades K-12 in Texas. As proposed, the list removed all teacher choice. It is smaller now, and we hope will get smaller on Monday. Even so, it constrains teachers, robs joy, and is one more tic on the "leave" side of the t-chart.

Thank you for showing up! Again!! Who else is joining @drannd.bsky.social and @saras1959.bsky.social and @freadomfighters.bsky.social and @txfreedomread.bsky.social and so many others??! 🙌🙏

Also let me recommend historian Annette Gordon Reed’s “On Juneteenth” for your summer reading list. I felt vindicated reading that Reed, a Texan, always saw Juneteenth as a Texas celebration. Her dive into the complicated history of Texas, slavery, integration & this holiday is riveting.

If this country survives—and I think it will—it will be because its citizens, lacking any other choice, decided to lead.

Quick follow up post, about a disingenuous talking point you hear in defense of the SBOE’s proposed Christian Nationalist reading list: franklinstrong.substack.com/p/we-surveye...

As part of the fight against the national book bans, we've made candidate scorecards for the original sponsors of HR 7661. If any of these Representatives are running in a race in your district/state, you can use these cards to help inform your community. This is gonna be a big old thread...

Happy Bloomsday to all who celebrate! Or happy Jesse & Celine Day! Time for my annual reposting of this: scholarlytexan.blogspot.com/2013/06/bloo...

There’s still time to tell the State Board of Education what you think about this. Info in thread. www.houstonpress.com/news/state-b...

Please submit comments by tomorrow about the Texas Required Reading list and share your concerns! You can find more in our post here and from @frankstrong.bsky.social too. txfreadomfighters.substack.com/p/whose-lite...

high school english teachers ought to be able to choose the books they assign

🚨URGENT: Tell TEA what you think about the state’s proposed mandatory reading list. The deadline to submit written comments is MONDAY, June 15. Click here: form.jotform.com/210613021857...

The Statesman is too busy with local austerity sensationalism to investigate the link between these headlines. But idk maybe we should tax the *trillionaire Austin resident* who spends his days inciting racist riots abroad so my kids school can have a fucking librarian next year….

IT IS TIME TO GIVE ME THE CREDIT I DESERVE

Wondering what the Texas GOP is up to at their convention this week? They’re debating whether to make banning halal food a legislative priority. Not even kidding.

I see some people in this thread asking "what can I do that won't get me fired" so now might be a great time to revisit "Taking Action in Higher Ed" halperta.com/shalperta%20...

Whoa!! @repjahanahayes.bsky.social just said it all to the House Education & Workforce Committee, which hauled a bunch of superintendents up to DC to attack them for having inclusive policies in their schools.

The very first "big" thing I ever published wrestled with exactly this. themillions.com/2015/07/the-...

Time to buy a new copy of Lonesome Dove and donate to ameliafortexas.com!

Texas, get organized! go.bsky.app/VcoYkZK

This is so good!

Austin ISD librarian cuts would save little and cost students much www.statesman.com/opinion/colu... @txfreedomread.bsky.social @freadomfighters.bsky.social

This is Texas State Rep Hillary Hickland last night in response to my post yesterday about Lonesome Dove being removed from schools due to Senate Bill 13. Texans are sick of this anti-book nonsense. Today’s a great day to donate to her opponent: www.ameliafortexas.com

Put simply, the list is ridiculous. And in 20, 50, 100 years, people will point & laugh at it as an example of the anti-intellectualism & pigheadedness of our state’s 2026 leadership. But guess what? The list also represents a win, & not a small one. franklinstrong.substack.com/p/the-texas-...

Texans: The restrictive, white-washed mandatory reading list is BACK up for discussion and a final vote at the State Board of Education's June meeting. WE NEED YOUR HELP fighting it! Read here for a call to action: franklinstrong.substack.com/p/the-texas-...

Before Senate Bill 13 passed in Texas last year, @jamestalarico.bsky.social pointed out that its language was so broad it could lead to the removal of Texas classic Lonesome Dove from schools. Guess what? He was right.