SLATE Newsletter

Welcome to the SLATE Newsletter! You will receive this online newsletter three times a year, at the e-mail address NCTE has on file for you, and in the format you have elected for receipt of your INBOX newsletter. We are excited to be able to use this new format to send you terrific articles and important details about issues that affect the teaching of the English language arts. You may access an archive of past SLATE Newsletters, SLATE Starter Sheets, and other SLATE-related material at http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/slate/.  Thanks for taking a moment to read this issue. If you have questions or suggestions, please contact Millie Davis, NCTE Staff Liaison, at NCTE Headquarters (e-mail to: mdavis@ncte.org; phone: 800-369-6283, ext. 3634). If you would like for us to use a different e-mail address for you, please e-mail affsec@ncte.org.

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February/March 2004

In this issue:

From the Editor
Fred Barton
Editor, SLATE Newsletter, and Region 4 Representative to the NCTE/SLATE Steering Committee

The new SLATE Newsletter editor introduces this issue. See http://www.ncte.org/admin/10_view.asp?id=115806 

The Faces of the Children Left Behind
NCTE/NCRLL 2003 Panel
The Politics of Literacy Research in a Political Time
JoBeth Allen, University of Georgia

JoBeth Allen describes the basic tenets of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) as it plays out in local schools. See http://www.ncte.org/admin/10_article.asp?id=115808

Countering the Voices of Scripted Curriculum: Strategies for Developing English Language Arts Curriculum in an Age of Standards
Linda J. Rice, Ohio University

Linda J. Rice explains that when we consider the importance of children, when we consider the importance of teaching, when we consider the resources we do have, and the magnitude of the challenge we’ve been given, we know we short change our students by defaulting to curriculum scripted by teachers’ editions and test makers. We need not be boxed in and limited by what others, who do not know our students and do not live in our communities, have written for us. See http://www.ncte.org/admin/10_view.asp?id=115817 


Seeking Iconoclasts: Immediate Openings
Greg Shafer, Mott Community College, Flint, Michigan

Greg Shafer argues that we need to speak up for our profession if we want to take back our classrooms. See http://www.ncte.org/admin/10_view.asp?id=115828 


Corporate Partners, or Predators?
Fred Barton
Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

Fred Barton describes how school district budget deficits have contributed to the increase of corporate influence in education and how this is a losing proposition for students. See http://www.ncte.org/admin/10_view.asp?id=115832 


Kathy Whitmore Introduces Herself!

Meet your new Region 5 SLATE Representative. See http://www.ncte.org/admin/10_view.asp?id=115835 


Defending the Right to Read: Librarians, Teachers Navigate the Chilly Waters of Censorship
Clarisse Butler

The story of Barbara Searle’s censorship challenge is also the story of the John Jay High School Students Who Spoke Against Censorship and who were named the 2001 NCTE/SLATE Affiliate Intellectual Freedom Award winners by the New York State English Council. (Note that 2004 Intellectual Freedom Award Applications appear later in this issue).

This article appeared in New York Teacher, the official publication of the New York State United Teachers, January 14, 2004, issue. See http://nysut.org/newyorkteacher/2003-2004/040114censorship.html 


Censoring Scientific Information

This article, which questions reporting from federal agencies “responsible for monitoring the nation’s food, water and medicine; medical research and disease control; education; defense; workplace safety; and the environment,” was featured in the Fall 2003, Number 91, issue of the National Coalition Against Censorship’s (http://www.ncac.org) newsletter Censorship News. See http://www.ncac.org/cen_news/cn91scientificinfo.htm 


Candidates for the 2004 SLATE Elections

Expect your ballot in May and don’t forget to vote by the June 1 deadline! See http://www.ncte.org/admin/10_view.asp?id=115836 

Meet the 2004 SLATE Steering Committee 

See http://www.ncte.org/about/gov/stcommit/106928.htm for committee members and http://www.ncte.org/groups/affiliates/resources/110877.htm for the regional map.


SLATE News from Convention 2003

Read the minutes of the meeting of the NCTE/SLATE Steering Committee. See http://www.ncte.org/admin/10_view.asp?id=115837 


NCTE Passes Two New Resolutions in 2003

See the resolutions on "Composing with Nonprint Media" and "Students' Right to Their Own Language" at http://www.ncte.org/about/press/rel/115073.htm 


Nominate for the NCTE SLATE Intellectual Freedom Awards

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 


Call for Personal Opinion Papers
You are invited to submit a Personal Opinion Paper (POP) for publication in the SLATE Newsletter. POPs can be on any sociopolitical issue that affects the teaching and learning of English language arts. Recent topics have included student testing and grading. Send a POP of no more than 500 words in length to Fred Barton, Editor, SLATE Newsletter, bartonf@msu.edu.


Call for SLATE Newsletter Articles
SLATE Newsletter is looking for short articles of 250-500 words on issues related to the teaching of the English language arts. Send your contribution to Fred Barton, Editor, SLATE Newsletter, bartonf@nsu.edu.