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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/120274.htm
Censorship Challenge
News
Millie Davis, NCTE Director of Communications and Affiliate Services
Since Charles Suhor retired as NCTE/SLATE Field Representative in August 2004, I have taken over his responsibilities for working with those experiencing challenges to instructional materials. During the time period of September 2004 through March 2005, censorship reports have held steady. Fifty-two reports came to NCTE
-- comparable to 51 during the same period the year before. Sixty-three works were actually challenged. Nine books were banned and two were restricted. Several cases remain in progress at this writing.
Read the entire article at http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/slate/120272.htm
No Child Left Behind
Greg Shafer
Mott Community College
Member, Education Advocacy Network
"I'm not smiling, and I really love to smile. This is quite disconcerting, indeed," said Parker Welton as he gazed around his office. The room was filled with a collective consternation as the group of English teachers pursed their lips and looked down at the gold carpet. They had listened to their principal's words of concern, and the problem was as clear as the black circles on the Scantron sheet he held. It was finals week and a potentially successful year at Jefferson High was in jeopardy simply because of a couple of rebellious students.
Read the entire article at http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/slate/120233.htm
Let's Get Ready To Rumble
Fred Barton
Editor, SLATE Newsletter, and Region 4 Representative to the NCTE/SLATE Steering Committee
Much has been written about the discipline of the Bush White House. Their ability to stay on message even when faced with contradictory facts has led opposition groups to label themselves the
"Reality Based Community" in a not-so-subtle dig at the administration's fidelity to their positions.
So it becomes news when an actual bipartisan commission is formed to study the effectiveness of the No Child Left Behind law, and man bites dog news when that panel is critical of the law. That is precisely what happened in the report of the National Conference of State Legislators written by the Task Force on No Child Left Behind.
See http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/slate/120234.htm
Welcome To The Blogosphere
by Fred Barton with information gathered through formal and informal conversations with colleagues
There is no real accurate way to tell, but best guess estimates place the number of Web logs, or blogs, on the Internet at eight million and growing daily. The Blogosphere has become the ultimate in one-stop shopping for just about any subject that you can imagine. Interested in the Chinese Dowager Empress Tzu His? Try this blog:
http://tinyurl.com/4s8te. Rather watch kites? Here's your blog:
http://tinyurl.com/4pstt. A fan of cheese? Blog this:
http://tinyurl.com/6tkq2.
Read the entire article at http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/slate/120236.htm
Nominate for the NCTE/SLATE Intellectual Freedom Awards
-- Due May 1
As an NCTE member, nominate for the National Award. See
http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/censorship/awards/107130.htm
As an NCTE affiliate member, encourage your affiliate to name a winner for this award. See
http://www.ncte.org/groups/affiliates/awards/109291.htm
Election Time Is Near; Ballots Will Be Mailed by April 15
Candidates for the SLATE Nominating Committee and for the SLATE Steering Committee (from Regions 1 and 4) have been
announced. Ballots will be mailed by April 15; completed ballots must be postmarked by Wednesday, June 1.
For more information on the spring SLATE elections, visit
http://www.ncte.org/about/gov/elec/news/119452.htm
Make Plans for Convention
2005
The NCTE/SLATE Steering Committee and and the Standing Committee Against Censorship will sponsor two sessions each at NCTE's Annual Convention in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, November 17-20, with workshops on November 21-22. Look for your Convention Preview issue of
The Council Chronicle in July. Look for the online program on the NCTE Web site then, too. See
http://www.ncte.org/profdev/conv/annual
Education Policy Collections
For the latest information about policy issues that are influencing literacy education, spend some time with the Education Policy Collections. You will find links to resource-rich Web sites and documents or position papers selected to help you understand the issue from various perspectives. You will also gain access to tools that will assist you in representing your views, and you will be referred to NCTE resources that provide teaching and research insights.
http://www.ncte.org/edpolicy
TYCA Addresses Issues for Two-Year College Faculty
The Two-Year College English Association of NCTE (TYCA), has just released two new position statements:
"Guidelines for the Academic Preparation of Two-Year College English Faculty"
http://www.ncte.org/library/files/Related_Groups/TYCA/TYCAGuidelinesWeb.pdf
"Research and Scholarship in the Two-Year College"
http://www.ncte.org/library/files/Related_Groups/TYCA/ResearchScholarshipWeb.pdf
James R. Squire Office of Policy Research
NCTE Past President Anne Ruggles Gere is working to increase NCTE's visibility and effectiveness in the world of educational policy through NCTE's new James R. Squire Office of Policy Research in the English Language Arts. See the complete story in the March
Council Chronicle: "NCTE Lays Groundwork for Policy Office."
http://www.ncte.org/about/gov/cgrams/120116.htm
NCTE Commission on Reading Takes Proactive Positions on Reading and Reading Instruction
by Michael L. Shaw, NCTE Liaison to the International Reading Association, and
Jane Braunger, Director, NCTE Commission on Reading
The NCTE Executive Committee has approved and posted on the NCTE Web site three documents created by the Commission on Reading to contribute to professional dialogue about literacy instruction. The documents speak to a national reading policy that is hampering teachers from making professional decisions about instruction that meets the needs of all students. These research-based documents directly respond to the scripted, narrow view of reading and reading instruction set forth in the Reading First Initiative.
http://www.ncte.org/about/gov/cgrams/res/120008.htm
NCTE Resolutions
One of the most important ways you can make a difference
is to submit a resolution on an issue of importance to English language arts education. NCTE resolutions, along
with NCTE guidelines and position statements, tell the world what we feel is best practice
(and sometimes what we feel is not) in English language arts education. These resolutions are voted on at the Annual Business
Meeting for the Board of Directors and Other Members of the Council, and they do make a difference.
Submissions for resolutions are due on October 15 of each year. To see current resolutions,
which are good models for resolution format, and the rules and procedures governing the submission of
resolutions see
http://www.ncte.org/about/over/positions/
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