Thank you to Nora for summing up the state of our field. The "solutions" are all proprietary or politicized to the point that objectivity is hard to find and real research seems almost stifled. I think we almost have to look outside our country to escape the smokescreens put in front of us here. My Nigerian friend can't believe we are serious about the "ebonics" debate. She says at home they take for granted that there's a language for the neighborhood and one for school, both are valid, and you know when to use each! Of course, they also educate a smaller percentage of children than we do, and we're attempting to educate a larger percentage than we ever bothered with before, so there is new ground being broken and a new philosophy being forged. In the process, there's lots of room for questioning on all sides, and I say never trust anyone who acknowledges no room for doubt.

Christy Breihan
Adult Basic Skills
Milwaukee WI