Committee on Racism and Bias in the Teaching of English

Function: To investigate and make recommendations to counteract racism and racial bias in teaching materials, methods, and programs for English and language arts; to develop guidelines for Teacher Quality for Educators who Teach Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Students, with careful documentation from the research base for your recommendations, based upon the NCTE 2004 policy document concerning Teacher Quality; to advise the NCTE executive committee with recommendations for professional development of inservice and preservice teachers regarding teaching linguistically and culturally diverse students, with the assistance of appropriate scholars and experts, as well as careful documentation from the research base for your recommendations; to create principles for assessment for linguistically and culturally diverse students, with the assistance of appropriate scholars and experts and careful documentation from the research base for your recommendations, based upon the 2004 NCTE framing statements on assessment; to participate in developing NCTE as the professional home for conversations about English Language Learners in English-dominant classrooms; and to identify the research base for your recommendations, and to recommend research on matters for which you can identify no research base.

The NCTE Committee on Racism and Bias in the Teaching of English met on Friday, November 18, 2005, during the annual convention held in Pittsburgh. The committee members discussed activities during the past year and initiatives for the coming year. The chair, Maria Franquiz, gave a report regarding the 2005 Convention Planning Meeting held at headquarters in Urbana in Feb. 2005. At this meeting the chair of the NCTE Committee on Racism and Bias in the Teaching of English is invited to attend. Maria informed committee members of a streamlined process for selecting convention proposals that assured strong and affirmative inclusion of sessions that met the guidelines of the Rainbow Strand and the NCTE Committee on Racism and Bias in the Teaching of English. Many convention planners of the various sections consulted Maria during the planning process regarding appropriateness of language in titles and descriptions submitted for consideration at the annual convention. Because Joanne Yatvin, incoming President Elect of NCTE was taken ill during part of the planning process Maria assisted her by reading all proposals for the general planning committee previously screened by online reviewers and, with Joan, made the recommendations for inclusion in the convention program.

Throughout the years the Committee has refined a list of quality children’s and young adult literature written by authors of color to post on the NCTE website.  The status of the list was not available. Auralia DaSilva and Bobbi Houchens provided a history regarding the need for posting and maintaining such a project. The chair agreed to contact Joseph Rodriguez regarding the status and continuance of this undertaking. Because of his steadfast work on this project, his participation in the Cultivating New Voices Among Scholars of Color program (CNV), and his leadership skills the committee nominated Joseph Rodriguez as incoming chair for the committee. It was also the unanimous request of the committee to appeal for scheduling the committee meeting in Tennessee late Friday afternoon as the current scheduled time conflicts with sessions of CNV and meeting of Committee on the Involvement of People of Color. Due to these scheduled conflicts, attendance at the meeting has been low, and the meeting kept short. The urgency of attending to this change will be communicated to headquarters.

What major actions or projects have been completed by your group since July 1, 2005?

Chair participated in Convention Planning Process in Feb. 2005

What projects, initiatives, or studies are “in progress” at this time?

Bibliography of children’s and young adult literature written by authors of color.

Maria Franquiz, Chair