Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Heather Perkinson @hkperkinson.bsky.social · 20m

OpenAI is trying to clamp down on ‘bias’ in ChatGPT
www.theverge.com/news/798388/...

OpenAI is trying to clamp down on ‘bias’ in ChatGPT

GPT-5 is better at resisting liberal ‘pressure,’ the company says.

www.theverge.com

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Heather Perkinson @hkperkinson.bsky.social · 21m

As boys shift to the right, we are seeing the rise of the ‘new chill girl’
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

As boys shift to the right, we are seeing the rise of the ‘new chill girl’ | Naomi Beinart

Even in comparatively liberal spaces, such as my high school, girls who wince at locker room talk risk exclusion

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Heather Perkinson

dharmalee3❌👑 @dharmalee3.bsky.social · 1h

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

MiddleWeb @middleweb.bsky.social · 1h

4 Simple Ways We Can Pre-Assess Students

Barbara Blackburn shares four simple activities teachers can use to pre-assess student knowledge & readiness before teaching a lesson.
#edusky #educoach @barbararblackburn.bsky.social @sharemylesson.bsky.social #teaching

www.middleweb.com/52730/four-s...

Four Simple Ways to Pre-Assess Your Students

Barbara R. Blackburn shares four simple activities teachers can use to pre-assess student knowledge and readiness before planning or teaching a lesson.

www.middleweb.com

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

Graham Platner for Senate @grahamformaine.bsky.social · 5h

We have armed secret police kidnapping people off the street based on the color of their skin.

When we win: we will haul them before a Senate committee. The masks will come off. There will be consequences.

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

Khashoggi's Ghost @urocklive1.bsky.social · 20h

Just a reminder that Wikipedia is the only remaining reliable source of information that right wing billionaires can't control. (Although they'll never stop trying.)

Please donate to them whenever you can. Even a little bit helps.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

Elizabeth C. Hamblet, LD Advisory @echamblet.bsky.social · 7h

I hope you'll read this and call your government representatives:

Special education staff decimated after Trump administration shutdown firings: Sources

The nation’s special education services have been significantly damaged after Fridays’s mass layoffs within the Department of Education, sources told ABC News.

abcnews.go.com

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

Jessie🇨🇦🐈🐾 @jessiemcgowan.bsky.social · 9h

👏👏👏 Librarian wins $700K US settlement

Librarian fired after refusing to censor 2SLGBTQ+ books wins $700K US settlement | CBC Radio

A former Wyoming library director who was fired amid an uproar over books with sexual content and 2SLGBTQ+ themes that some people complained were inappropriate for young readers will be paid $700,000...

www.cbc.ca

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

Unite Against Book Bans @uabookbans.bsky.social · 1d

It's #LetFreedomReadDay! Take at least ONE action today to defend the freedom to read. When we all #UniteAgainstBookBans, we can make a difference. All you need is 5 minutes to make an impact! #BannedBooksWeek

🧵 Check out the thread below or UniteAgainstBookBans.org/LFRD/ for some ideas 👇

The freedom to read is under attack. Let's do something about it. Let Freedom Read Day. Banned Books Week. UniteAgainstBookBans.org/LFRD/ Unite Against Book Bans.

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

James Myall @jamesxmyall.bsky.social · 7h

We’re expecting a tsunami of food insecurity in our state and across the country,” said Anna Korsen, deputy director of Full Plates Full Potential, a Brunswick-based organization that focuses on ending childhood hunger in Maine. #mepolitics

www.pressherald.com/2025/10/12/t...

Thousands of Mainers face loss of SNAP benefits as program undergoes historic cuts

The changes will put more pressure on food pantries, which are already seeing a rise in need and warning that they won't be able to fill the gap.

www.pressherald.com

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

Mark Peifer (He, him) @peiferlabunc.bsky.social · 7h

Congrats to UNC's Nabarun Dasgupta, one of this year's MacArthur Foundation Fellows. He is an epidemiologist & harm reduction advocate creating practical programs to mitigate harms from drug use, particularly opioid overdose deaths 1/n
www.macfound.org/fellows/clas...

Nabarun Dasgupta

Combining scientific studies with community engagement to reduce deaths and other harms from drug use.

www.macfound.org

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

Marcus Luther @marcusluther.bsky.social · 1d

Genuine question: for those enthusiastically pushing AI tools into every part of our education system—what checks/guardrails are there around algorithmic biases like this?

Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 1d

The administration “is currently pressuring OpenAI and other AI companies to make their models more conservative-friendly.”

OpenAI is trying to clamp down on ‘bias’ in ChatGPT

GPT-5 is better at resisting liberal ‘pressure,’ the company says.

www.theverge.com

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

Martha Hickson @sassylibrarian.bsky.social · 1d

NY pals: Take action for Banned Banned Books Week. Urge Gov. Hochul to sign the Freedom to Read Act. Call her office and/or fill out these forms:

NYPL: app.oneclickpolitics.com/campaign-pag...

EqualityNY: actionbutton.nationbuilder.com/share/SPK-QE...

@thelibrariansfilm.bsky.social

Call Gov. Hochul and tell her to sign the Freedom to Read Act S1099/A7777

Phone: 518-474-8390

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

Mark Follman @markfollman.bsky.social · 21h

These cuts will almost certainly lead to more suicides and school and mass shootings in America. And remember: after every major mass shooting, Republicans emphasize that “mental health” is the solution and that regulating guns is a nonstarter www.npr.org/sections/sho...

Trump slashes mental health agency as shutdown drags on

Sources tell NPR that more than 100 employees have been laid off at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Agency. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had some cuts reversed late Saturday.

www.npr.org

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

ACLU @aclu.org · 1d

President Trump's attempt to exclude some immigrant families from participating in Head Start is unlawful — and a federal judge has blocked it.

Federal Judge Blocks Trump Effort to Bar Some Immigrant Families From Head Start

A federal court stopped the administration’s attempt to exclude some immigrant children from the nation’s largest early childhood education program, protecting millions of families while the case continues.

www.aclu.org

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

Sara Partridge, Ph.D. @sarapartridge.bsky.social · 1d

There are reports that the *entire* office of special education at the US Dept of Education has been cut. These hardworking folks ensure kids with disabilities get equal access to a quality education.

America’s children deserve better than this.

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PBS News Classroom @pbsnewsclassroom.bsky.social · 3d

NEW @pbsnews.org Classroom Daily News Lesson —

For #BannedBookWeek hear about a new documentary that focuses on school librarians and school book bans. Ask students — who should decide what books they can read? #sschat #EDUSky

https://loom.ly/4ZOTmnI

Documentary explores the fight against book bans by public school librarians

Learn about a new film that explores the work of public school librarians facing scrutiny by parent groups and politicians

www.pbs.org

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

Len Bryan @lenbryan25.bsky.social · 3d

A7: #1 for me is to get out of my office and go build/strengthen relationships with the people I serve. When they know me & I know them, all aspects of the work are easier. They know that I am a competent professional, I have experience, I am reliable, honest, & I do what I say I will do.
#TLSkyChat

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

Len Bryan @lenbryan25.bsky.social · 3d

Wrote a post about it. Like to reqd it? Here you go: Weeding: The Great Library Divide: Embracing Collection Maintenance with Enthusiasm | AASL Knowledge Quest share.google/HjoDlZpNZSw7...

#TLSkyChat

Weeding: The Great Library Divide: Embracing Collection Maintenance with Enthusiasm | AASL Knowledge Quest

share.google

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

Library Girl @jenniferlagarde.bsky.social · 3d

Me too, friend! Me too! #TLSkyChat www.librarygirl.net/post/bftp-ke...

BFTP: Keeping Your Library Collection Smelling F.R.E.S.H!

One of my heroes, Doug Johnson, includes a "Blast From The Past" post on his blog each week. As Doug describes it:"A weekend Blue Skunk "feature" will be a revision of an old post. I'm calling this BF...

www.librarygirl.net

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 6d

Seven years ago today Susan Collins voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh, breaking her pledge to block any Sup Ct nominees who posted a danger to Roe. The rest is history. Never forget. #MEpolitics

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

Library Girl @jenniferlagarde.bsky.social · 3d

Yes AND It was one of the first books (for kids) that I've ever seen handle micro aggressions with such grace and humor. @jerrycraft.bsky.social is a genius. Bonafide! #TLSkyChat.

Awaken Librarian @awakenlibrarian.bsky.social · 3d

A2: The New Kid by Jerry Craft. Worth it because it called attention to a healthy, loving Black family adjusting through awkwardness of middle school. It's worth protecting b/c it was a mirror for Black kids and NOT a trauma-vampire story for our culture. #TLSkyChat

Library Girl @jenniferlagarde.bsky.social · 3d

🔁 ICYMI Here again is question #2 from tonight’s #TLSkyChat!

More info about tonight’s chat can be found at tlskychat.com

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Library Girl @jenniferlagarde.bsky.social · 3d

💬 #TLSkyChat A3: I wrote about creating a library advisory board, to serve as #teamlibrary, b4 book challenges landed on our door here. While I'll address this proactive approach later tonight, I found that gathering my team BEFORE the challenge made navigating it so much easier. #bannedbooksweek

A Proactive Approach to Book Challenges

Book challenges are on the rise. ALA's Office of Intellectual Freedom, which tracks requests to remove materials from library shelves, reported in September that there had been a 60% increase in book ...

www.librarygirl.net

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

Alexa Dumas @alexadoom.bsky.social · 3d

A3:

My principal and faculty are on my team! Although this is my second year, the importance and power I have placed on the library space and reading has created a culture of allies. If I ever had an issue with censorship, my district would have my back. #TLSkyChat

Library Girl @jenniferlagarde.bsky.social · 3d

Q3 for tonight’s #TLSkyChat!

💬 Protecting intellectual freedom requires team work! Who’s on your team? How do you create allies in protecting our kids’ right to read?

For more information visit: tlskychat.com

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Reposted by Heather Perkinson

Awaken Librarian @awakenlibrarian.bsky.social · 3d

A2: The New Kid by Jerry Craft. Worth it because it called attention to a healthy, loving Black family adjusting through awkwardness of middle school. It's worth protecting b/c it was a mirror for Black kids and NOT a trauma-vampire story for our culture. #TLSkyChat

Library Girl @jenniferlagarde.bsky.social · 3d

🔁 ICYMI Here again is question #2 from tonight’s #TLSkyChat!

More info about tonight’s chat can be found at tlskychat.com

Slide labeled “Question #2” for #TLSkyChat. Text reads: “Q2: Share a book that has been challenged but continues to make an impact in your library. Why is it worth protecting?” Left panel lists reminders to use #TLSkyChat, look for Q1–Q3, and start responses with A1–A3. Illustration shows a blue shield with a yellow check mark. Footer says, “Resources can be found at tlskychat.com.”

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