FROM THE EDITOR

Fred Barton
Michigan State University
Editor, SLATE Newsletter

Gentle Reader:

Well, another school year lurches uncertainly out of the gate and lumbers crookedly down the first straightaway. As of this writing 34 states are in some sort of trouble with NCLB requirements. Now, I’m no Gerald Bracey, but if I were to give a test to 50 typical students, and 34 of them failed it, it might occur to me that perhaps something is wrong with the test. But that’s just me.

And what about the states that are in the DOE’s good graces? Indiana won a “full approval with recommendations for improvement.” I’m not sure what that means either. You’re doing a great job, but need to do better. Are you getting the idea that if you looked up “no win scenario” in the dictionary there would be a picture of Margaret Spellings there?

Apparently controlling curriculum isn’t enough for these folks. Enter Robert Crafton with a rather unsettling tale of the criminalization of student writing, and by extension, student thought, or at least that thought that doesn’t sync up with the status quo. Fortunately the courts still seem to recognize that freedom of speech applies to all the people, not just those who think a certain way, and yet I wonder why such a fundamental American value has to be explained over and over and over. Dr. Crafton is an Assistant Professor at Slippery Rock University, and Chair of the NCTE Standing Committee Against Censorship.

Speaking of Censorship, Millie Davis joins us next with her report on the Censorship wars. I wish I could say it was hard for her to find enough to write about, but it turns out that even though it’s not over yet, 2006 is even busier than 2005. And it’s not just books that are coming under attack these days. Films, and even student projects, have all been targets.

Depressed yet? Don’t be. Read Mary Wood’s story. Mary is a self described “stay at home mom” who made the mistake of believing the spiel thrown at her when a charter school came to her neighborhood. What follows is the transformation "fulfilling my deep desire in being the best mom I could be to my kids" to becoming the leading advocate for accountability in the charter school industry—and a living nightmare to those who would cut corners and give the law short shrift.

I first met Mary about a year ago and was immediately impressed by her strength and her commitment to quality education for children—all children. Her story is a Michigan story, but as you read I hope you’ll think about the Mary Woods in your state—or the very great need for them.

What’s the old curse? May you live in interesting times? Yeah. Been there. Done that. Got the T-shirt.