Who Gets to Decide?
This week I bumped into two different stories on the radio. Each was discussing the questions “Who gets to decide?” …
Texts, Your Students, and the First Amendment
For many years, American schools have been pressured to restrict or deny students access to texts deemed objectionable by some …
Books Beyond the Boundaries
As educators, we are continually reaching beyond our own boundaries, and we encourage our students to reach beyond themselves, too, …
Fighting Old Battles of the Curriculum vs. the Students
Invaders of Mars was on TV this morning—I know, maybe I should be making better use of my time—but there is …
A Book for the Ages
Never again will you be capable of ordinary human feeling. Everything will be dead inside you. Never again will you …
Reading Behind Bars
Federal courts have repeatedly affirmed that prisoners have a First Amendment right to read, and that publishers and others have …
Reading Because We Love It
This past Saturday, my book group held its annual book choosing, a day we gather to eat finger food, bask …
Reading Because They Love It
I feel certain that one goal we teachers have for our students is that they to leave our classes to …
Movies of Censored Books, with a Little Advice
While students on the coasts can expect another six weeks or so of school—kind of like our six weeks of …
Teachers Know Redux
This blog is an updated version of the 2018 blog Teachers Know. I have to say up front that teachers …