Sarah Smylie
@sarahsmylienc.bsky.social
Board Member, Orange County Schools (NC). Opinions my own. Dedicated to educational equity and audacious hope.
Reposted by Sarah Smylie
NEW: The @wired.com Security desk put together a comprehensive guide to filming ICE—with tips for reducing risk at the forefront. No paywall, but please consider subscribing to help find these kinds of resources. And stay safe out there. www.wired.com/story/how-to...
www.wired.com/v2/offers/wi...
www.wired.com/v2/offers/wi...
How to Film ICE
Filming federal agents in public is legal, but avoiding a dangerous—even deadly—confrontation isn’t guaranteed. Here’s how to record ICE and CBP agents as safely as possible and have an impact.
www.wired.com
January 31, 2026 at 10:55 AM
NEW: The @wired.com Security desk put together a comprehensive guide to filming ICE—with tips for reducing risk at the forefront. No paywall, but please consider subscribing to help find these kinds of resources. And stay safe out there. www.wired.com/story/how-to...
www.wired.com/v2/offers/wi...
www.wired.com/v2/offers/wi...
Reposted by Sarah Smylie
Reporters, if you wrote about learning loss due to covid school closures, you can write about learning loss due to state terror.
I am not being snarky. I need my colleagues who wrote on covid school lockdowns to engage with this. To be as loud as they have been about prior "learning loss." Hell, you can cite Tom & Mark's AERJ paper so you feel better that there's some econ somewhere in your argument.
"In St. Paul, at least one-fourth of students from Spanish-speaking homes have missed every day of school since Dec. 12."
January 23, 2026 at 11:06 PM
Reporters, if you wrote about learning loss due to covid school closures, you can write about learning loss due to state terror.
🧵
They are targeting children because they are trying incite violence. I have talked to many journalists today, and they all made the same observation: Border Patrol and ICE have been rolling around with maximum aggression, lingering for ages as crowds, gather, seemingly trying to cause a riot.
This picture making the rounds on reddit, Columbia Heights. I'm not OK.
January 22, 2026 at 2:29 AM
🧵
Reposted by Sarah Smylie
I’m seeing posts from people (outside of MN) about how US citizens should carry their passports.
And let me say that *inside* MN, we are calmly responding to requests with: “No, I don’t have to show you any documentation.”
Because that’s how you protect everyone, regardless of immigration status.
And let me say that *inside* MN, we are calmly responding to requests with: “No, I don’t have to show you any documentation.”
Because that’s how you protect everyone, regardless of immigration status.
January 16, 2026 at 12:17 AM
I’m seeing posts from people (outside of MN) about how US citizens should carry their passports.
And let me say that *inside* MN, we are calmly responding to requests with: “No, I don’t have to show you any documentation.”
Because that’s how you protect everyone, regardless of immigration status.
And let me say that *inside* MN, we are calmly responding to requests with: “No, I don’t have to show you any documentation.”
Because that’s how you protect everyone, regardless of immigration status.
Reposted by Sarah Smylie
It is impossible to properly calculate the depth and breadth of the courage and sacrifice of those prepared to confront white supremacy and assert their right to full citizenship.
We - and by that I mean ALL Americans - owe them a great debt. Rest in Peace & Power Claudette Colvin.
We - and by that I mean ALL Americans - owe them a great debt. Rest in Peace & Power Claudette Colvin.
"I knew then and I know now, when it comes to justice, there is no easy way to get it. You can't sugarcoat it. You have to take a stand and say, 'This is not right.' And I did."
Rest in power, Ms. Claudette Colvin.
The fight for equality continues.
❤️
Rest in power, Ms. Claudette Colvin.
The fight for equality continues.
❤️
January 13, 2026 at 11:21 PM
It is impossible to properly calculate the depth and breadth of the courage and sacrifice of those prepared to confront white supremacy and assert their right to full citizenship.
We - and by that I mean ALL Americans - owe them a great debt. Rest in Peace & Power Claudette Colvin.
We - and by that I mean ALL Americans - owe them a great debt. Rest in Peace & Power Claudette Colvin.
Reposted by Sarah Smylie
This is how ICE agents responded after watching a mother of three bleed out in her car after they shot her multiple times in the head.
January 8, 2026 at 3:03 AM
This is how ICE agents responded after watching a mother of three bleed out in her car after they shot her multiple times in the head.
Reposted by Sarah Smylie
I reshared @siembranc.bsky.social's excellent toolkit "How We Dealt with Border Patrol" in NC just this morning in my newsletter before this horrible killing. It's worth people reading and then acting on: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Toolkit: how we dealt with Border Patrol
In November 2025, Border Patrol announced it would be coming to Charlotte, North Carolina. We only had a few days’ notice. Just like in Chicago and Los Angeles, they weren’t coming to “keep the peace....
docs.google.com
January 8, 2026 at 2:07 AM
I reshared @siembranc.bsky.social's excellent toolkit "How We Dealt with Border Patrol" in NC just this morning in my newsletter before this horrible killing. It's worth people reading and then acting on: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Reposted by Sarah Smylie
yep. i can identify any number of structural issues but at the end of the day the basic problem is the republican party. this has been apparent for at least 20 years. it is also an incredibly unpopular observation to make among “serious” people.
Right.
If you want a good explanation of why the American system of government worked well enough for 200 years and then suddenly stopped, it's because Republicans in Congress suddenly started letting their partisan interests COMPLETELY override their institutional interests
If you want a good explanation of why the American system of government worked well enough for 200 years and then suddenly stopped, it's because Republicans in Congress suddenly started letting their partisan interests COMPLETELY override their institutional interests
a lot of problems wouldn't exist if we had a congress with even an ounce of self interest
January 4, 2026 at 11:52 PM
yep. i can identify any number of structural issues but at the end of the day the basic problem is the republican party. this has been apparent for at least 20 years. it is also an incredibly unpopular observation to make among “serious” people.
Reposted by Sarah Smylie
The regime is actively working to make living by a deadline harder. Taxes, elections, healthcare, bills. All affected by this ridiculous policy. See next post for more information.
FDT
FDT
December 29, 2025 at 9:49 PM
The regime is actively working to make living by a deadline harder. Taxes, elections, healthcare, bills. All affected by this ridiculous policy. See next post for more information.
FDT
FDT
I have never been so sure something was parody and/or AI generated. Reader, it is not.
So the theme of America's birthday party is "may the odds be ever in your favor." Nailed it.
So the theme of America's birthday party is "may the odds be ever in your favor." Nailed it.
Trump announces an "unprecedented four-day athletic event" with "one young man and one young woman from each state and territory"
December 18, 2025 at 7:10 PM
I have never been so sure something was parody and/or AI generated. Reader, it is not.
So the theme of America's birthday party is "may the odds be ever in your favor." Nailed it.
So the theme of America's birthday party is "may the odds be ever in your favor." Nailed it.
Reposted by Sarah Smylie
It's great to read about the ingenuity & resiliency of school leaders finding new ways to deliver basic mental health services to students. But again, it would be great if articles like this would note how the Leandro Plan would address these issues if legislators would simply fund the Plan
#ncpol
#ncpol
From pilot program to statewide model: How the Medicaid Learning Collaborative is helping districts expand mental health support for students
The Medicaid Learning Collaborative helps districts learn how to bill Medicaid for school-based mental health services.
www.ednc.org
December 3, 2025 at 4:14 PM
It's great to read about the ingenuity & resiliency of school leaders finding new ways to deliver basic mental health services to students. But again, it would be great if articles like this would note how the Leandro Plan would address these issues if legislators would simply fund the Plan
#ncpol
#ncpol
A little Friday PM humor slash horror! What a week, folks. G'night!
November 21, 2025 at 9:34 PM
A little Friday PM humor slash horror! What a week, folks. G'night!
Reposted by Sarah Smylie
This story is nuts.
"ICE agents then surrounded the judge’s car and demanded everyone to exit the vehicle, threatening to smash in the windows if they did not comply."
"ICE agents then surrounded the judge’s car and demanded everyone to exit the vehicle, threatening to smash in the windows if they did not comply."
#BREAKING: A student intern at Rhode Island Superior Court was briefly taken into custody by ICE this afternoon before a judge intervened, 12 News has learned. Story by @jusolyn.bsky.social and @timwhiteri.bsky.social: ⤵️
RI judge intervenes after ICE mistakenly detains Superior Court intern
A teenager was nearly taken into federal immigration custody in Providence Thursday afternoon before a Superior Court judge intervened, according to the Rhode Island Judiciary.
www.wpri.com
November 21, 2025 at 11:51 AM
This story is nuts.
"ICE agents then surrounded the judge’s car and demanded everyone to exit the vehicle, threatening to smash in the windows if they did not comply."
"ICE agents then surrounded the judge’s car and demanded everyone to exit the vehicle, threatening to smash in the windows if they did not comply."
Reposted by Sarah Smylie
This particular caravan of federal agents may have left, for now, but we still have work to do to create a state where everyone can live freely, with dignity and without fear. Join us tomorrow at 6 PM in Charlotte and Raleigh. Stay posted for next steps at defendandrecruit.org/nc
November 21, 2025 at 2:21 AM
This particular caravan of federal agents may have left, for now, but we still have work to do to create a state where everyone can live freely, with dignity and without fear. Join us tomorrow at 6 PM in Charlotte and Raleigh. Stay posted for next steps at defendandrecruit.org/nc
Reposted by Sarah Smylie
SNAP has existed for 60 years. Benefits have gone out every single month over those six decades, including during government shutdowns. Until now.
Make no mistake: The money is available to fund SNAP during this shutdown. Trump is making a choice to withhold it.
Don’t forget this.
Make no mistake: The money is available to fund SNAP during this shutdown. Trump is making a choice to withhold it.
Don’t forget this.
November 6, 2025 at 9:15 PM
SNAP has existed for 60 years. Benefits have gone out every single month over those six decades, including during government shutdowns. Until now.
Make no mistake: The money is available to fund SNAP during this shutdown. Trump is making a choice to withhold it.
Don’t forget this.
Make no mistake: The money is available to fund SNAP during this shutdown. Trump is making a choice to withhold it.
Don’t forget this.
Reposted by Sarah Smylie
Media orgs are confused and upset about last nights Democratic wins.
I don’t recall a “questions remain” after Trump or GOP wins.
I don’t recall a “questions remain” after Trump or GOP wins.
November 5, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Media orgs are confused and upset about last nights Democratic wins.
I don’t recall a “questions remain” after Trump or GOP wins.
I don’t recall a “questions remain” after Trump or GOP wins.
Your Republicans in Congress are depriving our struggling neighbors of food to eat. Why? Well, they simply MUST make other neighbors' health care more $$$, you see. (My kingdom for a government that, like, gives a shit about people.)
Crunching numbers on SNAP in NC.
Belts of rural counties in the south & northeast will see anywhere from a quarter to a third of their residents without food assistance. Ten of the state’s 99 counties have 25% or more of its residents enrolled in SNAP. #ncpol
ncnewsline.com/2025/10/29/l...
Belts of rural counties in the south & northeast will see anywhere from a quarter to a third of their residents without food assistance. Ten of the state’s 99 counties have 25% or more of its residents enrolled in SNAP. #ncpol
ncnewsline.com/2025/10/29/l...
Looming SNAP pause will impact rural and urban North Carolinians • NC Newsline
The SNAP food assistance program helps feed a total of 1.4 million North Carolinians. They will all stop receiving benefits this week.
ncnewsline.com
October 30, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Your Republicans in Congress are depriving our struggling neighbors of food to eat. Why? Well, they simply MUST make other neighbors' health care more $$$, you see. (My kingdom for a government that, like, gives a shit about people.)
Reposted by Sarah Smylie
Donald Trump deleted this from the government website.
Let's be clear: there's funding available to cover SNAP benefits next month. Trump is stopping SNAP benefits because he wants to. He is forcing mommas and babies to go hungry.
Let's be clear: there's funding available to cover SNAP benefits next month. Trump is stopping SNAP benefits because he wants to. He is forcing mommas and babies to go hungry.
October 28, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Donald Trump deleted this from the government website.
Let's be clear: there's funding available to cover SNAP benefits next month. Trump is stopping SNAP benefits because he wants to. He is forcing mommas and babies to go hungry.
Let's be clear: there's funding available to cover SNAP benefits next month. Trump is stopping SNAP benefits because he wants to. He is forcing mommas and babies to go hungry.
Reposted by Sarah Smylie
its remarkable to see random suburbanites in their fucking PJs have more courage than the vast majority of america's political, social, and civil elites
October 25, 2025 at 5:41 PM
its remarkable to see random suburbanites in their fucking PJs have more courage than the vast majority of america's political, social, and civil elites
Reposted by Sarah Smylie
To understand the Trump administration’s vision for American education, @megomatz.bsky.social and I studied dozens of hours of political appointees’ speeches and podcasts and essays. What emerged is a desire to dismantle the nation’s system of public schools.
These Activists Want to Dismantle Public Schools. Now They Run the Education Department.
Under Trump, the Department of Education has been bringing in activists hostile to public schools. It could mean a new era of private and religious schools boosted by tax dollars — and the end of publ...
www.propublica.org
October 9, 2025 at 2:37 AM
To understand the Trump administration’s vision for American education, @megomatz.bsky.social and I studied dozens of hours of political appointees’ speeches and podcasts and essays. What emerged is a desire to dismantle the nation’s system of public schools.
Abolish ICE.
My god.
“Watson said she saw agents dragging residents, including kids, out of the building without any clothes on and into U-Haul vans. Kids were separated from their mothers…’It was heartbreaking to watch…seeing kids coming out buck naked and taken from their mothers, it was horrible.’”
“Watson said she saw agents dragging residents, including kids, out of the building without any clothes on and into U-Haul vans. Kids were separated from their mothers…’It was heartbreaking to watch…seeing kids coming out buck naked and taken from their mothers, it was horrible.’”
Massive immigration raid on Chicago apartment building leaves residents reeling: 'I feel defeated'
The Department of Homeland Security said federal agents with Border Patrol, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested 37 people in the raid.
chicago.suntimes.com
October 2, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Abolish ICE.
Reposted by Sarah Smylie
From 1939-1945 German officers also listened to speeches from civilians about how the laws of war didn’t apply to them. And then they participated in the Holocaust, starved millions of prisoners of war, destroyed villages and cities, and were defeated.
Hegseth: "We unleash overwhelming and punishing violence on the enemy. We also don't fight with stupid rules of engagement. We untie the hands of our warfighters to intimidate, demoralize, hunt, and kill the enemies of our country. No more politically correct and overbearing rules of engagement."
October 2, 2025 at 12:47 AM
From 1939-1945 German officers also listened to speeches from civilians about how the laws of war didn’t apply to them. And then they participated in the Holocaust, starved millions of prisoners of war, destroyed villages and cities, and were defeated.
Both of my kids played Jane Goodall in their 2nd grade wax museum. A family hero of ours. 💔
Jane Goodall was not only a pioneering primatologist, she also campaigned more relentlessly and selflessly for the natural world than anyone I know.
A great soul if ever there was one
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
A great soul if ever there was one
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Jane Goodall, world-renowned primatologist, dies aged 91
Jane Goodall Institute says ‘tireless advocate’ for natural world died in California during US speaking tour
www.theguardian.com
October 2, 2025 at 2:26 AM
Both of my kids played Jane Goodall in their 2nd grade wax museum. A family hero of ours. 💔
Reposted by Sarah Smylie
Just gonna keep tapping the sign*
*𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦
*𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦
October 1, 2025 at 3:14 AM
Just gonna keep tapping the sign*
*𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦
*𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦
Reposted by Sarah Smylie
Here is the image with alt text
September 28, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Here is the image with alt text