Schools Matter: IRA's Richard Long defends the LEARN Act: Susan Ohanian responds

Schools Matter: IRA's Richard Long defends the LEARN Act: Susan Ohanian responds:

IRA's Richard Long defends the LEARN Act: Susan Ohanian responds

by skrashen

Posted at:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/will-the-learn-act-help-kids-learn-to-read/2011/09/21/gIQA7dLTlK_blog.html

The politicos in Washington D. C, the folks who already make a colossal mess of reading instruction with Reading First, are at it again--spelling out all these details about how reading should be taught. Sadly, lobbyist Rich Long's current support of the LEARN Act is just the latest iteration of our professional organizations trying to curry favor with members of Congress. The truth of the matter is that the LEARN act will produce lots of professional development monies and our professional organizations--IRA and NCTE--will never bite the politico hand that feeds them.

We should demand that our professional organizations explain why political overreaching weighs far heavier in