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Sheila Zinkerman

@ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social
479 followers 356 following 821 posts

Advocate for social justice, freedom of speech & expression in the arts, church-state separation, and the freedom to read in uncensored, inclusive public school libraries.

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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 4h
Public schools eye tax credits.
chalkbeat.org
Trump wants a new tax credit to turbocharge school choice. Public schools have their own ideas.
Some in the public education sphere hope to use the tax credit to pay for everything from SAT prep to field trips. Others worry the money won’t materialize on a large scale.
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 10h
Another anti-government front group infiltrating public schools and higher education.
splcenter.org
Defending Education
Defending Education, formerly Parents Defending Education, is a hard-right anti-student-inclusion group. The Southern Poverty Law Center categorizes anti-student-inclusion groups as antigovernment, be...
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State Court Report @statecourtreport.org · 25/09/2026
@howard.edu's Robinson Woodward-Burns analyzed 1,528 state constitutional amendments proposed over the last two decades, charting differences across regions, types of provisions, and more.
statecourtreport.org
Evaluating 20 Years of State Constitutional Changes
The data on state constitutional amendments shows the broad range of rights affected and how reformers approach changes to the documents.
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 14h
Florida’s regime ignored our people’s message. Identify GOPers who are responsible — and VOTE THEM OUT — and DON’T VOTE THEM IN! #votedemocratic
statecourtreport.org
Florida Courts and Politicians Ignored the People’s Message
Lawmakers are rigging districts for their own political purposes, and state courts are letting it happen.
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State Court Report @statecourtreport.org · 30/09/2026
Missouri’s redistricting fight shows the risks of last-minute changes to election maps. What role should courts play when those changes affect voters’ rights? Subscribe to State Court Report to learn more: bit.ly/45IXZ0M
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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 30/09/2026
Due to retirements and primary defeats, there will be 99 new members of Congress next year. No matter how many seats change party hands, it is already a change election that can open the door to reform. bit.ly/4htUKS4
brennancenter.org
Democracy Constrained
The Supreme Court has helped create an electoral system in which competition is scarce, money is dominant, and voting protections are weaker.
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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 30/09/2026
Whether you have already cast your ballot through early voting, are voting by mail, or are heading to the polls on Tuesday, November 3, rest assured that our elections are safe and secure. And your vote matters. Some important things to remember: bit.ly/3UjBBrc
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 14h
GOP never-ending fodder for political cartoonists. Keep them coming!
counterpoint.substack.com
💩 “Schmitt for Brains” Edition
Republicans held another solemn exercise in congressional oversight this week, which is what we now call accusing someone of perjury because you don’t know the difference between the Atlanta Hawks and...
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 15h
@pfpsorg.bsky.social
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 23h
White Christian Grift
open.substack.com
The Christian grift behind Life Surge’s celebrity-packed wealth seminars
Tim Tebow and other celebrities spoke at events pitching “Kingdom impact,” but some customers say they were left with crushing debt
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
act.pen.org
Protect Students’ Freedom to Read in US Public Schools!
When the House and Senate return from their election recess, they could vote on a censorship bill that would treat high schoolers the same way as kindergarteners and prohibit spending certain federal ...
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
BANNED BOOK WEEK 10/4 through 10/10
act.pen.org
Protect Students’ Freedom to Read in US Public Schools!
When the House and Senate return from their election recess, they could vote on a censorship bill that would treat high schoolers the same way as kindergarteners and prohibit spending certain federal ...
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Americans United for Separation of Church and State @americansunited.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Working to ensure a government free from religious influence means also working to ensure elections free from religious influence.
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Americans United for Separation of Church and State @americansunited.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
EXCITING NEWS ‼️ We’re thrilled to announce the release of our brand new toolkit, “Building Local Support for Separation of Church and State.” ⛓️‍💥 Check it out at www.au.org/supporter-to...
au.org
Supporters Advocacy Toolkit
Check out our new toolkit for practical tools and tips to take action in your community.
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Freedom to Read Project @freedomreadproject.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Banned Books Week is coming! Oct. 4–10, we’re celebrating the freedom to read and shining a light on censorship in schools and libraries. Follow along for challenged books, resources, and ways to turn awareness into action. #BannedBooksWeek #FreedomToRead #ReadFreely
banned books week october 4-10
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Florida Freedom to Read Project @flfreedomread.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
"Instead of allowing concerns about particular books to move through established local processes, the state is using funding threats to silence local stakeholders and impose its own preferences from Tallahassee." www.tallahassee.com/story/news/s...
tallahassee.com
Free speech groups warn new education orders will expand book bans
A national free speech group is warning that a new directive from Florida's education chief would prompt more book bans.
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
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Defense of Democracy @defenseofdemocracy.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Congratulations are in order for the families in Owasso, OK. Aaron Brent, candidate for Oklahoma House of Representatives D74, has just signed the Pledge to Protect Public Education. #oklahoma #owasso #pledgetoprotectpubliceducation
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The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 30/09/2026
"The catch is that the Trump administration is reportedly considering paying for the change by redirecting some of the money that now helps low-income parents pay for childcare."
lnk.thebulwark.com
How to Mess Up Childcare. Brought to You by Trump.
A proposal the administration is preparing comes just as left and right were finding some common ground.
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Excerpt: Collins, Cotton, and Sullivan face voters in 34 days. Those voters deserve to know whose money they kept.
open.substack.com
A Billionaire Paid Epstein $158 Million. These Republicans Kept His Checks.
Also: an Alabama builder wins round one against ICE, California adds a buffer, and a judge refuses to let Rubio put 43,000 visa applicants back on hold.
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
🛑 📚🛑 Call it what it is. This new Florida State Education Directive is a hateful attack on our K-12 inclusive public school education system and their educators.
pen.org
New Florida State Education Directive Threatens to Expand Book Removals in Schools
(MIAMI) — PEN America and the Florida Freedom to Read Project expressed alarm today over a new Department of Education directive that could turn the state’s already troubling book censorship into a “d...
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American Humanist Association @americanhumanist.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Professor Anthea Butler (@antheabutler.bsky.social) is our 2026 Religious Liberty Awardee! Joining us from the UK, Prof. Butler spoke to the role of humanists in combatting the rise religious nationalism. Watch her full speech, and all recordings from AHAcon 2026, on our YouTube (link in our bio)!
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Regime held in contempt.
open.substack.com
Trump’s Own Prosecutor Just Turned On Him Over Six Protesters
Also: Trump’s own judge holds the regime in contempt, election deniers lose in Colorado, and MAGA’s Kansas City map dies. Plus, the first of our 12 GOP Senate investigations drops tomorrow.
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TX FReadom Fighters @freadomfighters.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Join @txfreedomread.bsky.social @penamerica.bsky.social and us TONIGHT for tips on how to build a local library advocacy group! @everylibrary.bsky.social
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Human Rights Campaign @hrc.org · 28/09/2026
BREAKING: The Trump administration is erasing protections for LGBTQ+ kids and survivors of sexual assault in school settings without an opportunity for public comment. Trump’s Department of Education has abandoned its duty to protect students from sex discrimination and sexual violence in schools.
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American Humanist Association @americanhumanist.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Nearly two thirds of Americans are Christian nationalist skeptics or rejectors. A new study from PRRI shows that even many Christian denominations host supermajorities of skeptics and rejectors - up to 71% in certain demographics. Read the full article at the link in our bio!
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American Humanist Association @americanhumanist.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month with the iconic Jon Huertas (This is Us, Castle, Why Do Fools Fall in Love) joining us on the How to Humanist podcast! We love the Tao of Bob Ross - happy little accidents. Tune into How to Humanist wherever you enjoy your podcasts!
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Melissa Jo Peltier @melissjpeltier.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Daniel Dale is a national treasure. Safeguard him with your life if necessary.
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Paraphrase:The pathological hatred that drives DeSantis & his vandals is on full display in “First They Came For My College,” a scorching documentary about how the state dedicated itself to destroying what once was a top tier liberal arts school, producing scores of Fulbright Scholars, Emmy winners…
flaglerlive.com
The Ideological Sack of Florida's New College | FlaglerLive
DeSantis is aggressively dismantling traditional university governance across Florida by installing political loyalists, suppressing speech, and imposing rigid ideological curricula. Students and film...
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
JUST US VOLUSIA August 29th ICE OUT rally, Daytona Beach.
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
In Rush to Judgment, DeSantis And Cabinet Bypass Legal Rulemaking To Target Advocacy Groups. Excerpt: “A great deal of litigation in the emergency rule context is centered on whether emergency action is actually required,” wrote Oates. “An agency cannot create an emergency due to its own inaction.”
flaglerlive.com
In Rush to Judgment, DeSantis And Cabinet Bypass Legal Rulemaking To Target Advocacy Groups | FlaglerLive
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the cabinet circumvented statutory rulemaking requirements by implementing emergency procedures to designate targeted advocacy organizations as domestic terrorist groups ...
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
One person can make a difference---try letter writing to advocate for your library.
action.everylibrary.org
Fighting Censorship on a Local Level: Open Letters and Advocacy
One person can make a difference---try letter writing to advocate for your library.
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VeteranConnections 💙 @joyandmon.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
“Behold!”
open.substack.com
Damn The Networks For Caving To Donald
Picket crossing traitors.
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kelly jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
*This week*, Watertown High School leadership decided to cancel the school musical FOOTLOOSE because it could be "controversial." This district loves banning for no reason. The RT is from last spring–their cancelation of a band song for its LGBTQ+ themes and history. www.tmj4.com/news/dodge-c...
tmj4.com
Watertown High School students hope to revive ‘Flashdance’ after superintendent cancels production
Watertown High School's interim superintendent canceled the 'Flashdance' musical, sparking student pushback
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
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Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Nevada election officials said Thursday that 185 voters in the state who the Department of Homeland Security identified as noncitizens were all, in fact, citizens — the latest snafu in the department’s attempts to uncover illegal voters across the country. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
democracydocket.com
DHS noncitizen voter claims unravel in Nevada as state confirms flagged voters are citizens
Nevada election officials said Thursday that 185 voters in the state who the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) identified as noncitizens were all, in fact, citizens.
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Tim Murphy @tmurp1953.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
The truest meme ever.👇🏼
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Banned book list 2026. #freedomtoread #uniteagainstbookbans
pen.org
Banned Books List 2026
What books are banned in 2026? Thousands of titles have been removed from public schools across the country.
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
pen.org/report/the-n...
pen.org
The Normalization of Book Banning
PEN America found that 6,870 books bans were enacted during the 2024-25 school year, across 23 states and 87 public school districts.
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
NATIONAL COALITION AGAINST CENSORSHIP(NCAC)
ncac.org
NCAC Urges Department of Education to Scrap Proposed Rule Change for Grants
NCAC urges the Department of Education to abandon proposed grant rules that threaten academic freedom and free expression.
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
SECOND NATURE: Narrated by Elliot Page. 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈
m.youtube.com
Second Nature - Official Trailer
YouTube video by Second Nature
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Stop viewpoint discrimination—don’t ban books.
au.org
Constitution in the Classroom | Americans United
AU was proud to partner with the American Constitution Society (ACS) on the 2026 Constitution in the Classroom lesson plan!
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Americans United for Separation of Church and State @americansunited.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
We were in court today challenging an Arkansas law that requires an edited version of the Ten Commandments be displayed in public classrooms and libraries. No matter the state, we are fighting to preserve freedom of and freedom from religion for every American. 🇺🇸
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EveryLibrary @everylibrary.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
EveryLibrary advocates for the freedom to read by joining forces with local anti-censorship initiatives. Read on to learn more about their recent work... buff.ly/Yl1TFj0 #library #libraries #read #reading #book #books #librarianship #lit
buff.ly
Censorship Does More than Remove a Book
Censorship in school and public libraries can harm student growth. Learn more about EveryLibrary's advocacy efforts and what you can do to help.
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EveryLibrary @everylibrary.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
❗️ Registration Deadline on 9/29 for Fall Session❗️ We're partnering with Library Journal to bring you a new course to help you fund your library - who makes the decisions, what matters to them, how your library is funded, and how to build support for a clear ask. ➡️ Register today: buff.ly/HRi1izn
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EveryLibrary @everylibrary.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
For its Fall 2026 issue, The Political Librarian seeks articles exploring the intersection of emerging technology and the political challenges and opportunities facing libraries and memory institutions. Submissions accepted until 10/15. buff.ly/eTPrCTa
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EveryLibrary @everylibrary.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Increased support is needed to protect public libraries from devastating budget cuts. Here's why... buff.ly/H6wpk7g #library #libraries #read #reading #book #books #librarianship #lit
buff.ly
Efforts to Defund Libraries Gain Momentum in Michigan and Arkansas
Is your library at risk of losing funding at the hands of censorship campaigns?
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Sheila Zinkerman @ctjeszinkerman.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Except: Book banners are lying to Americans and we have the receipts. If you ban books you harm kids. End. Of. Stories.
action.everylibrary.org
Book Banners Are Lying to Americans!
Don't let them lie to you!
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Josh Turek @joshturek4iowa.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Great game, Mr. President. 🏀 Iowa, you heard President Obama. The ball is in your court. Join our campaign and help us Push For Change: Turek4Iowa.com
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