Nick Covington
@covingtonedu.bsky.social
Dad. Iowan. Former HS social studies teacher.
Reposted by Nick Covington
ICE has now spent over half a BILLION dollars just on purchasing warehouses around the country to convert into detention camps.
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
ICE to begin detaining immigrants inside Social Circle warehouse in April
Homeland Security plans to build warehouse detention facilities in other cities being met with opposition.
www.ajc.com
February 9, 2026 at 5:56 PM
ICE has now spent over half a BILLION dollars just on purchasing warehouses around the country to convert into detention camps.
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
There is no hell hot enough.
February 10, 2026 at 8:22 AM
There is no hell hot enough.
Reposted by Nick Covington
3/ “I have never been separated from my siblings and its honestly sad because they are little and they need their mom and sister.”
From 14-year-old Ariana V.V, whose U.S.-citizen siblings are 2 and 5 years old. Detained for 45+ days
From 14-year-old Ariana V.V, whose U.S.-citizen siblings are 2 and 5 years old. Detained for 45+ days
February 9, 2026 at 12:25 PM
3/ “I have never been separated from my siblings and its honestly sad because they are little and they need their mom and sister.”
From 14-year-old Ariana V.V, whose U.S.-citizen siblings are 2 and 5 years old. Detained for 45+ days
From 14-year-old Ariana V.V, whose U.S.-citizen siblings are 2 and 5 years old. Detained for 45+ days
Reposted by Nick Covington
2/ “I miss my school and my friends I feel bad since when I came here to this Place, because I have been here too long.”
From 9-year-old Susej F, detained for 50+ days
From 9-year-old Susej F, detained for 50+ days
February 9, 2026 at 12:25 PM
2/ “I miss my school and my friends I feel bad since when I came here to this Place, because I have been here too long.”
From 9-year-old Susej F, detained for 50+ days
From 9-year-old Susej F, detained for 50+ days
Reposted by Nick Covington
1/ ProPublica collected handwritten letters in mid-January from children held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, the same facility where 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos was taken.
Hundreds of kids are still detained.
We’ll let the children’s words speak for themselves. 🧵
Hundreds of kids are still detained.
We’ll let the children’s words speak for themselves. 🧵
February 9, 2026 at 12:25 PM
1/ ProPublica collected handwritten letters in mid-January from children held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, the same facility where 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos was taken.
Hundreds of kids are still detained.
We’ll let the children’s words speak for themselves. 🧵
Hundreds of kids are still detained.
We’ll let the children’s words speak for themselves. 🧵
Reposted by Nick Covington
6/ “When I arrived every night I cried and now I don’t sleep well, I felt that being here was my fault and I only wanted to be on vacation like a normal family.”
9-year-old Maria Antonia Guerra Montoya, detained on her way to Disney World, spent 113+ days at Dilley.
9-year-old Maria Antonia Guerra Montoya, detained on her way to Disney World, spent 113+ days at Dilley.
![Page 2 of a child’s handwritten letter, written in pencil in Spanish. Translation: “They don’t give me my diet I am vegetarian, I don’t eat well, there is no good education and I miss my best friend julieta and my grandmother and my school I already want to get to my house. Me in dilei [Dilley] am not happy please get me out of here to colombia.” Below the text is a drawing of the girl and her mother in the government-issued gray sweatsuits of the detention center.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:k4jt6heuiamymgi46yeuxtpt/bafkreihpnudavq27nzelfb2kd3fjjthco7haqmhvx4zryksfbfruoxkm74@jpeg)
February 9, 2026 at 12:38 PM
6/ “When I arrived every night I cried and now I don’t sleep well, I felt that being here was my fault and I only wanted to be on vacation like a normal family.”
9-year-old Maria Antonia Guerra Montoya, detained on her way to Disney World, spent 113+ days at Dilley.
9-year-old Maria Antonia Guerra Montoya, detained on her way to Disney World, spent 113+ days at Dilley.
Reposted by Nick Covington
“I don’t understand why so many people have conceded that the university is a left space. Can someone show me a Marxist university president?”
Defending the Possibility of the University: A Roundtable on “University Keywords” - Public Books
“What would it look like for faculty unions and graduate student unions to collaborate or work together with K-12 teachers’ unions to push back against anti-DEI legislation or book bans?”
www.publicbooks.org
February 9, 2026 at 7:18 PM
“I don’t understand why so many people have conceded that the university is a left space. Can someone show me a Marxist university president?”
Reposted by Nick Covington
Her community rallied so fast and so diligently. This is a victory to uphold and celebrate. Reminds everyone that it's worth fighting back.
An immigration court dropped its case against Turkish graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk, a little less than a year after federal agents arrested her on a street near Tufts University
Immigration Court Drops Case Against Tufts Student Rumeysa Ozturk
The Turkish national had been arrested by plainclothes federal officers outside her apartment.
on.wsj.com
February 10, 2026 at 1:30 AM
Her community rallied so fast and so diligently. This is a victory to uphold and celebrate. Reminds everyone that it's worth fighting back.
Reposted by Nick Covington
Hundreds of millions spent on human misery
In the last month ICE has bought warehouses in:
- Hagerstown, MD: $102 million
- Surprise, AZ: $70 million
- Hamburg, PA: $87 million
- Tremont, PA: $120 million
- San Antonio, TX: $82 million
- El Paso, TX: $123 million
- Social Circle, GA: price unknown
This is unprecedented.
- Hagerstown, MD: $102 million
- Surprise, AZ: $70 million
- Hamburg, PA: $87 million
- Tremont, PA: $120 million
- San Antonio, TX: $82 million
- El Paso, TX: $123 million
- Social Circle, GA: price unknown
This is unprecedented.
February 9, 2026 at 7:15 PM
Hundreds of millions spent on human misery
Reposted by Nick Covington
here’s my essay about teaching brave new world, which i think we should keep doing in high schools— thepointmag.com/examined-lif...
February 9, 2026 at 11:00 PM
here’s my essay about teaching brave new world, which i think we should keep doing in high schools— thepointmag.com/examined-lif...
Guys, BlueSky has been SO WEIRD. I don't know what has posted and what hasn't at this point. I'll leave the thread as is.
February 9, 2026 at 10:55 PM
Guys, BlueSky has been SO WEIRD. I don't know what has posted and what hasn't at this point. I'll leave the thread as is.
I mean, it's in the name:
Idiots
Out
Walking
Around
Idiots
Out
Walking
Around
February 9, 2026 at 10:55 PM
I mean, it's in the name:
Idiots
Out
Walking
Around
Idiots
Out
Walking
Around
In blocking a portion of the law, a judge referenced a previous ruling to claim it "sought to cast 'a puritanical ‘pall of orthodoxy’ over school libraries,” & that "hundreds of books from school libraries, including, nonfiction history books, classic works of fiction...” were improperly removed.
February 9, 2026 at 10:42 PM
In blocking a portion of the law, a judge referenced a previous ruling to claim it "sought to cast 'a puritanical ‘pall of orthodoxy’ over school libraries,” & that "hundreds of books from school libraries, including, nonfiction history books, classic works of fiction...” were improperly removed.
Reposted by Nick Covington
“Are we teaching our K-4 kids that reading is just tasks? Are we teaching them that they just need to label stuff and fill out graphic organizers?”
yes that’s what’s happening
yes that’s what’s happening
Jan 2026 Report - In Some Urban Districts, Science of Reading Limits ‘Robust Comprehension’: Rather than promoting deeper literacy skills, the phonics-based approach 'may unintentionally encourage teachers to focus on surface-level goals.'
February 9, 2026 at 10:31 PM
“Are we teaching our K-4 kids that reading is just tasks? Are we teaching them that they just need to label stuff and fill out graphic organizers?”
yes that’s what’s happening
yes that’s what’s happening
Of the top 10 most-removed classic books:
60% are by Black authors
60% are by women
60% center Black experiences
That's no accident.
Source: www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/e...
60% are by Black authors
60% are by women
60% center Black experiences
That's no accident.
Source: www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/e...
Are schools misreading Iowa's book ban law by banning classics like '1984' over sex?
A Des Moines Register survey finds Iowa schools have removed over 40 classic and modern classic novels, from '1984' and 'Brave New World' to 'Roots.'
www.desmoinesregister.com
February 9, 2026 at 10:31 PM
Of the top 10 most-removed classic books:
60% are by Black authors
60% are by women
60% center Black experiences
That's no accident.
Source: www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/e...
60% are by Black authors
60% are by women
60% center Black experiences
That's no accident.
Source: www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/e...
In response to Iowa's vague & punitive "age appropriate" school materials law in 2023, schools immediately removed over 3,000 books. Of the most-removed:
6 center Black American experiences
7 center experiences of women
2 are dystopian critiques of authoritarianism
1 is antiwar/militarism
6 center Black American experiences
7 center experiences of women
2 are dystopian critiques of authoritarianism
1 is antiwar/militarism
February 9, 2026 at 10:27 PM
In response to Iowa's vague & punitive "age appropriate" school materials law in 2023, schools immediately removed over 3,000 books. Of the most-removed:
6 center Black American experiences
7 center experiences of women
2 are dystopian critiques of authoritarianism
1 is antiwar/militarism
6 center Black American experiences
7 center experiences of women
2 are dystopian critiques of authoritarianism
1 is antiwar/militarism
Reposted by Nick Covington
"Surface-level understanding" = test prep.
From the full report:
"Despite the regular comprehension HQIM use and focus...in 67% of the lessons, teachers and students engaged in work (i.e., instruction, engagement, and activity) that only facilitated students’ surface-level understanding of texts."
www.sri.com/wp-content/u...
"Despite the regular comprehension HQIM use and focus...in 67% of the lessons, teachers and students engaged in work (i.e., instruction, engagement, and activity) that only facilitated students’ surface-level understanding of texts."
www.sri.com/wp-content/u...
February 9, 2026 at 6:59 PM
"Surface-level understanding" = test prep.
Reposted by Nick Covington
I see this with the elementary kids I tutor, where I basically am doing a lot of test prep with them, there is just not a lot of depth when it comes to answering multiple choice questions. And honestly, those questions are just plain awful.
February 9, 2026 at 6:05 PM
I see this with the elementary kids I tutor, where I basically am doing a lot of test prep with them, there is just not a lot of depth when it comes to answering multiple choice questions. And honestly, those questions are just plain awful.
This seems to be how the 'Mississippi Miracle' manifests as well: two decades of shaky growth in 4th grade scores that don't show up *at all* in 8th grade.
Are curriculum/literacy policies and practices designed to get 3rd graders to pass a test or actually create readers?
Are curriculum/literacy policies and practices designed to get 3rd graders to pass a test or actually create readers?
February 9, 2026 at 6:21 PM
This seems to be how the 'Mississippi Miracle' manifests as well: two decades of shaky growth in 4th grade scores that don't show up *at all* in 8th grade.
Are curriculum/literacy policies and practices designed to get 3rd graders to pass a test or actually create readers?
Are curriculum/literacy policies and practices designed to get 3rd graders to pass a test or actually create readers?
Reposted by Nick Covington
The surface stuff doesn’t teach background knowledge or vocabulary which are the most important things for comprehension. There’s a reason that pushing phonics down into kindergarten has raised scores in 3rd grade but they’re flat in 8th. And SES does help with vocab and background knowledge
February 9, 2026 at 5:55 PM
The surface stuff doesn’t teach background knowledge or vocabulary which are the most important things for comprehension. There’s a reason that pushing phonics down into kindergarten has raised scores in 3rd grade but they’re flat in 8th. And SES does help with vocab and background knowledge
Reposted by Nick Covington
As an SLP, I desperately want us to do units, do deep dives into content that kids like, have them TALK about it when they’re younger. They like doing that. The excerpts and comprehension “skills” are boring and demoralizing for kids who can’t do them right away.
February 9, 2026 at 5:52 PM
As an SLP, I desperately want us to do units, do deep dives into content that kids like, have them TALK about it when they’re younger. They like doing that. The excerpts and comprehension “skills” are boring and demoralizing for kids who can’t do them right away.
Reposted by Nick Covington
Time to read, time to talk, time to write about what was read and talked about. It's so very hard, and yet achingly simple.
February 9, 2026 at 5:45 PM
Time to read, time to talk, time to write about what was read and talked about. It's so very hard, and yet achingly simple.
Reposted by Nick Covington
This is why we slowed down our phonics learning and built in a school wide reading for pleasure programme (thank you @teresacremin.bsky.social and team). CLPE has helped us to shift away from atomised grammar and we have 'every place is a reading place' nooks and crannies all over. Our kids ❤️ books.
From the full report:
"Despite the regular comprehension HQIM use and focus...in 67% of the lessons, teachers and students engaged in work (i.e., instruction, engagement, and activity) that only facilitated students’ surface-level understanding of texts."
www.sri.com/wp-content/u...
"Despite the regular comprehension HQIM use and focus...in 67% of the lessons, teachers and students engaged in work (i.e., instruction, engagement, and activity) that only facilitated students’ surface-level understanding of texts."
www.sri.com/wp-content/u...
February 9, 2026 at 5:10 PM
This is why we slowed down our phonics learning and built in a school wide reading for pleasure programme (thank you @teresacremin.bsky.social and team). CLPE has helped us to shift away from atomised grammar and we have 'every place is a reading place' nooks and crannies all over. Our kids ❤️ books.
Reposted by Nick Covington
yeah, i see this all the time with my own kids' schooling, too. The "read a passage and identify the Point" exercises are out of control and absolutely not a substitute for reading books.
February 9, 2026 at 4:41 PM
yeah, i see this all the time with my own kids' schooling, too. The "read a passage and identify the Point" exercises are out of control and absolutely not a substitute for reading books.