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September 2005

In this issue:

• From the Editor 
• Myth Education: Rationale and Strategies for Teaching against Linguistic Prejudice (from the Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, May 2005) 
• Teachers Entering the Profession: What Supplies do They Need? 
• NCLB and Teachers: Hoops and Trivia 
• This Is the Condition Our Condition Is In 
• Censorship Challenge News 
• Intellectual Freedom Award Winners Announced 
• Banned Books Week
• 2005 Affiliate SLATE Reports
• SLATE Election Results 
• Call for SLATE Nominations 
• Call for NCTE Resolutions   
• SLATE and the Standing Committee Against Censorship at the NCTE Annual Convention  
• 2006 NCTE Education Policy and English Language Arts Day

From the Editor
Fred Barton
Editor, SLATE Newsletter, and Region 4 Representative to the NCTE/SLATE Steering Committee
The SLATE Newsletter editor introduces this issue. See http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/slate/122279.htm

Myth Education: Rationale and Strategies for Teaching against Linguistic Prejudice (from the Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, May 2005)
Leah A. Zuidema
Michigan State University

Linguistic prejudice is one of the few "acceptable" American prejudices. In polite society, we don't allow jokes that we consider to be racist or sexist, and we are careful not to disparage a person's religious beliefs. Language is another matter. In English with an Accent, Rosina Lippi-Green (1997) writes that we regularly demand of people that they suppress or deny the most effective way they have of situating themselves socially in the world. Read the entire article at http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/slate/122278.htm

Teachers Entering the Profession: What Supplies Do They Need?
William Kist
Kent State University-Stark Campus
Member, Ohio Council of Teachers of English

Now that I am a teacher educator, much of my professional life is focused on this special time in one's career—the first tentative steps as a teacher. This reminds me of when I taught high school and a former student would come back to visit after a few years of being out on his or her own. Usually, it was a joyous occasion, one filled with old jokes and reminiscences. But occasionally, it was sad. I must admit, I've had this experience also with former university students who come back with all the joy knocked out of them. Some have even left the teaching profession after only one or two years of teaching. Read more at http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/slate/122277.htm

NCLB and Teachers: Hoops and Trivia
Nancy Patterson
Grand Valley State University
Member, Local Action Network and Michigan Council of Teachers of English

Imagine my surprise when I learned I was not a highly qualified teacher. I had, after all, taught 7th- and 8th-grade language arts for 14 years and served as department chair for the last five of those years. I had served on the district language arts curriculum team for at least 10 years. And I had both a bachelors degree and a PhD in English. Fortunately for the youth of Michigan I was no longer teaching middle school language arts. I was instead teaching preservice and inservice graduate students in reading and language arts at a university. In fact, I chair the nationally recognized program which prepares highly qualified teachers in both undergraduate and graduate studies, even though I, myself, am no longer considered highly qualified. Read the entire article at http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/slate/122280.htm

This Is the Condition Our Condition Is In
Fred Barton
Editor, SLATE Newsletter, and Region 4 Representative to the NCTE/SLATE Steering Committee

According to the U.S. National Council for Education Statistics (NCES) there will be a 21% growth in demand for teachers in the next decade, which translates into 200,000 teachers per year. This means a demand for 2 million teachers in the United States by 2006. Multiple studies have indicated that as many as 50% of all teachers leave the profession within the first five years of their careers. Add those facts together and the result is, according to Chris Pipho, author of A Real Teacher Shortage, America is about to face the largest teacher shortfall in its history. Reasons for the shortage run the gamut: graying workforce, higher paying careers in business and industry, increasing standards of qualification, declining attitudes about the value of public service, and changing attitudes about learning among others. Read on at http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/slate/122276.htm as Barton tries to answer two questions: Why would anyone want to be a teacher today, and why should teachers stay in teaching?

Censorship Challenge News
Millie Davis, NCTE Director of Communications and Affiliate Services

We’ve had half the number of censorship reports during the time from the last SLATE Newsletter column in April. There were 16 reports sent to NCTE—comparable to 33 during the same period the year before. Over 100 works were actually challenged—this includes the massive number of books challenged in the Arkansas library case. Read the entire report at http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/slate/122308.htm 

Intellectual Freedom Award Winners Announced

Senator Richard Durbin Wins 2005 NCTE/SLATE National Intellectual Freedom Award
In nominating Durbin, the Illinois Association of Teachers of English cited his role in the authorship of the Security and Freedom Enhancement Act (SAFE Act). The SAFE Act would impose reasonable limits on the FBI’s seizure of business and library records, “sneak and peek” warrants,” and roving wiretaps. Read about the award at http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/censorship/awards/122307.htm

NCTE Affiliates Confer Intellectual Freedom Awards
The Illinois Association of Teachers of English, The Kentucky Council of Teachers of English/Language Arts, and the The Nebraska English Language Arts Council will honor NCTE/SLATE Affiliate Intellectual Freedom Award Winners during the 2005 NCTE Annual Convention in Pittsburgh. More information can be found at http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/censorship/awards/122122.htm

Banned Books Week 2005, September 24-October 1
According to the American Library Association, Banned Books Week "celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them." This year, ALA pays special attention to gay- and lesbian-themed books and other GLBT materials that are coming under attack more and more frequently. Read more at http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.htm

NCTE offers advice, helpful documents, and other support at no cost to teachers faced with challenges to literary works, films and videos, drama productions, or teaching methods. For more information, visit NCTE's Anti-Censorship Center at http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/censorship

2005 Summary of Affiliate SLATE Reports
Millie Davis
NCTE Division of Communications and Affiliate Services

Read the entire summary at http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/slate/122309.htm

SLATE Election Results

SLATE Steering Committee

• Gerry Kuroghlian, Staples High School, Westport, Connecticut
  (representing Region 1: CT, DE, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, ON, RI, VT)
• Ellen Brinkley, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo
  (representing Region 4: IL, IN, MB, MI, MN, ND, SD, WI)

2004-2005 SLATE Nominating Committee

• *Deborah Manning, Pyle Elementary School, Fresno, California, chair
• Ann E. Green, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 
• Michael Guevara, Health Careers High School, San Antonio, Texas 

*Under Council practice, the member of each nominating committee receiving the largest number of votes is named chair.

SLATE Nominations
Help shape the leadership of SLATE by submitting nominations for the 2006 SLATE Steering Committee! Two candidates (SLATE members) from both Region 5 (Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma) and Region 8 (Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah) will be on the ballot; one from each region will be elected.
http://www.ncte.org/about/gov/elec/nominations/107463.htm

Call for NCTE Resolutions
October 15 is the Deadline for Submitting a Resolution for the 2005 NCTE Annual Convention

The 2005 NCTE Committee on Resolutions encourages NCTE members to propose a resolution for consideration during the Annual Convention in Pittsburgh. If you have concerns about issues that affect your teaching, or positions you would like to support, and you think NCTE should take a stand, you have an opportunity to be heard! You can initiate action to deal with these issues by proposing resolutions which may be voted on and passed at NCTE's Annual Convention. Mitzi Lewison, Indiana University, Bloomington, chair of the 2005 Committee on Resolutions, urges individual members and affiliate groups to begin preparing and submitting their resolutions now. For submission guidelines, visit http://www.ncte.org/about/over/positions/107214.htm

SLATE and the Standing Committee Against Censorship at the NCTE Annual Convention

SLATE

WHO IS NCLB FAILING? STUDENTS, SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, AND UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS, PART I
Public schools and Colleges of Education are often considered failing. This session addresses all the ways that schools can become a failing school and what is being done by states to control teacher education in universities.

Session B.06: Friday, November 18, 11:00 am to 12:15 pm 
Room: David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Room 303, Third Floor
Topic: Social Activism
Level(s): General (proposals of interest at all instructional levels)
Chair: Pat Cordeiro
Presenter: Maryann Manning, Reba Wadsworth

WHO IS NCLB FAILING? STUDENT, SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, AND READING PROFESSORS, PART II
No Child Left Behind legislation has mandated controversial ideas that many educators consider negative for children, teachers, parents and even professors of reading. This session addresses the problems and how educators are coping with the situation.

Session C.11: Friday, November 18, 12:30 pm to 1:45 pm
Room: David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Room 303, Third Floor
Topic: Social Activism
Level(s): General (proposals of interest at all instructional levels)
Chair: Pat Cordeiro
Presenters: Aurelia De Silva, Daniel DeYoung
Discussion Leader: Kenneth Goodman

COMMITTEE MEETING OF NCTE/SLATE STEERING COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CONCERNS
Session XM.01: Saturday, November 19, 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Room: The Hilton, Heinz Room, Lobby Level
Topic: Professional Development
Level(s): General (proposals of interest at all instructional levels)
Chair: Pat Cordeiro

Standing Committee Against Censorship

CENSORSHIP ON COMMON GROUND
Session B.08: Friday, November 18, 11:00 am to 12:15 pm
Room: The Westin, Westmoreland Room, Second Level
Topic: Social Activism
Level(s): General (proposals of interest at all instructional levels)
Presenters: Jean E. Brown, Lois Lowry
Chair: Richard Halle

CENSORSHIP: ALIVE IN 2005
"In dreams begin responsibilities." W. B. Yeats. During a time when voices--loud, soft, and shrill—speak in and outside of the classroom, teachers and students must listen. They must be aware of their rights and responsibilities in the English language arts classroom. Bob Crafton will highlight the work of John Lovas—his concern about criminalizing writing, his suggestions for directions in policy and practice that teachers could support to ensure free expressions. Using the Lovas principles, Marlene Birkman and Elissa Kido will engage participants in lively exchange. Together all will explore ways of thinking about and responding to censorship soundings.

Session M.16: Sunday, November 20, 11:30 am to 12:45 pm
Room: David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Room 326, Third Floor
Topic: Social Activism
Level(s): General (proposals of interest at all instructional levels)
Presenters: Bob Crafton, Doug Hesse, Marlene Ann Birkman, Elissa Kiddo
Chair: Marlene Ann Birkman
Reactor/Respondent: Margaret Sacco

NCTE Education Policy and English Language Arts Day
Join NCTE in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, April 27, 2006, to meet Congressional leaders and education policymakers, get in-depth insights about key policy questions, and receive information on grants for education programs. For more information, contact the NCTE Federal Relations Office at (800) 369-6283.

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