Dr Coley Lehman
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readingispolitical.bsky.social
Dr Coley Lehman
@readingispolitical.bsky.social
professor, liberatory education, critical pedagogy, literature- especially YA books, & a deep love of teachers
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Last year one of my ed program grad students said “This class has softened my heart.” She explained that now she thinks about why students might act out & what else might be going on.

“This class has softened my heart” is the best compliment I could receive. Is there a CV line for that?
Reposted by Dr Coley Lehman
This video of Chicagoans intervening to save a man from being abducted off the streets by ICE is making the rounds on Instagram.

Community action works.

Source: www.instagram.com/reel/DPZL2AL...
October 5, 2025 at 5:24 PM
This is enraging & terrifying.
October 1, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Reposted by Dr Coley Lehman
If any other president in all of history said the military should use American cities as a training ground he would be removed from office that same day. The hardest thing to tolerate in all this is how relatively silent elected democrats are. It’s ridiculous.
September 30, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Reposted by Dr Coley Lehman
"People get used to anything. The less you think about your oppression, the more your tolerance for it grows. After a while, people just think oppression is the normal state of things. But to become free, you have to be acutely aware of being a slave."

~ Assata Shaku

Rest in Power 🌸🌸🌸
September 26, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Reposted by Dr Coley Lehman
In case you're wondering why AI is pushing so hard into education, that last bullet point is why. Get consumers hooked in young and they're likely to stay. And get embedded enough into classrooms and curriculum and the education system can't function without it - ie permanent consumers.
*The AI boom = one of the costliest building sprees in world history

* Past 3 years' commitments are greater than the cost of building the U.S. interstate highway system

* Consumers must spend $800 billion on AI within a few years, to justify investment from 2023-24

www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-b...
September 26, 2025 at 2:16 PM
This is a really excellent strategy!
I ask students to create a set of 3 annotations that I call an "ARQ" to earn credit on an assignments. A = summarize the author/speaker's argument R = the student's reaction Q = a question. Each annotation must be attached to the relevant section of the assignment (whether it's text or a video)..
September 26, 2025 at 4:35 AM
I’m in a DEI PD session on the new federal laws/EOs impacting higher ed & the overwhelming sense of dread in the room is suffocating. Admissions, curriculum, loans, grants, etc. are all under attack.
September 24, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Reposted by Dr Coley Lehman
In honor of Batman Day, I give you a sneak peek into my Eisner nominated book and a powerful discussion starter in my classroom.
September 20, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Another SCOTUS decision that makes me cry, totally normal times
BREAKING: The Supreme Court allows the Trump administration to move forward with the abolition of the Department of Education. It gives no explanation for its order. All three liberals dissent. www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...

From Sotomayor's dissent:
July 14, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Reposted by Dr Coley Lehman
WTF? Trump is now threatening the American people. He warned protesters to stay away from his birthday/military parade in D.C. this Saturday, claiming anyone who shows up to protest “hates our country” and will be met with “very heavy force.” This is authoritarian behavior, plain and simple.
June 10, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Reposted by Dr Coley Lehman
PEN America joins 24 other press freedom and media organizations in condemning attacks on journalists covering immigration protests in the Los Angeles area. pen.org/press-releas...
PEN America Condemns Attacks on Journalists Covering Los Angeles Protests - PEN America
PEN America joined 24 other press freedom and media organizations in signing a letter, led by the First Amendment Coalition, Freedom of the Press Foundation, and Los Angeles Press Club, condemning att...
pen.org
June 10, 2025 at 12:08 AM
I asked my grad students to share an image that captures how they are feeling about their research & one student made this. It’s perfection! #TeacherEd #Research
May 8, 2025 at 3:51 AM
Every book that was part of my dissertation study has been banned. Every. Book.

The freedom to read is vital for students to see themselves & others in books. Diverse books for everyone. Go get some books!
It’s no joke, our friends at @bookshop.org are helping us celebrate #WeNeedDiverseBooksDay with a special promo code! 🛍️📚

Shop Bookshop.org on April 3rd and use the code “WNDB25” at checkout to get 15% off your purchase!
April 3, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Reposted by Dr Coley Lehman
Today is #WeNeedDiverseBooksDay organized by @weneeddiversebooks.bsky.social This is a great opportunity to remember what we're fighting for while spreading the joy that comes from reading through our big, complicated, beautiful world of books. Learn how to participate below!
We Need Diverse Books Day — We Need Diverse Books
www.diversebooks.org
April 3, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Reposted by Dr Coley Lehman
Happy We Need Diverse Books Day! With book bans and challenges happening at a horrifyingly consistent rate, we need this day more than ever. #WeNeedDiverseBooksDay #kidlit afuse8production.slj.com/2025/04/03/p...
Press Release Fun: Happy Inaugural We Need Diverse Books Day!
With book bans and challenges happening at a horrifyingly consistent rate, we need this day more than ever.
afuse8production.slj.com
April 3, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Reposted by Dr Coley Lehman
I know the world is on fire, but @scottmccloud.bsky.social and I have a book out today!

THE CARTOONISTS CLUB is our love letter to comics, made for that nerdy kid in the corner with the sketchbook. We suggest you visit your local comic shop, indie bookstore, or library to check it out!
April 1, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Reposted by Dr Coley Lehman
They are arresting people on the streets, terminating their visas, and disappearing them for writing things they disagree with. This is where we are. Two months in. Right now. If you think they won’t begin coming after citizens soon, you are mistaken.
March 27, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Reposted by Dr Coley Lehman
“The first people a dictator puts in jail after a coup are the writers, the teachers, the librarians —because these people are dangerous. They have enough vocabulary to recognize injustice and to speak out loudly about it. Let us have the courage to go on being dangerous people.”

—Madeleine L’Engle
March 16, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Reposted by Dr Coley Lehman
It’s worth saying that book sales are down across the board so far in 2025. If you love authors, buy their books and celebrate them loudly online. We really need it.
As a sidenote, it's weird trying to do the "buy my book" dance in the middle of everything going on. It's like trying to sell ice cream during a neverending earthquake.
March 16, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Reposted by Dr Coley Lehman
March 15, 2025 at 4:34 AM
Reposted by Dr Coley Lehman
🚨 Take action now.

The public comment period for U.S. Dept of State’s anti-trans passport bills is open now.

@hrc.org has a simple form you can use to comment. Be sure to click through all THREE comments.

act.hrc.org/page/167631/...
Take action today!
act.hrc.org
March 13, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Reposted by Dr Coley Lehman
A reminder that @scarleteen.bsky.social is 100% queer and trans run and will ALWAYS be providing educational materials, support, and more to youth seeking sex, relationships, and health education from a source who won't casually erase their existence with their political winds.
1. Three sexual abuse nonprofits have removed all or nearly all references to trans, queer and non binary people (h/t @devtesla.bsky.social)

I wrote a second article today to document and archive some of the impacted pages.

www.madycast.com/p/capitulati...
February 18, 2025 at 4:43 AM
Today I was in a school library debriefing with a student teacher & a kid walked up, said “Hello, fellow readers!” and sat down to read.

Moments like these propel me through the horribleness. Kids are so rad! I’d like to be addressed only as a “fellow reader” going forward.

#EduSky #LibrarySky
February 18, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Reposted by Dr Coley Lehman
An inspiring article on courageous community college leaders who are *publicly* organizing and standing up against DEI attacks.. www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...
Grassroots college leader group resists anti-DEI legislation
Education for All, a grassroots network of mostly community college leaders, is spreading strategies for how to resist anti-DEI bills and rhetoric.
www.insidehighered.com
February 18, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Reposted by Dr Coley Lehman
The Stonewall Inn responds.

Erasure is the precursor to eliminationism.
February 14, 2025 at 2:35 PM