1985 NCTE Annual Business Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Background

The education reform movement of the 1980s produced legislation which in the judgment of many NCTE members was often counterproductive to its goal of educational improvement. Be it therefore

Resolution

Resolved, that the National Council of Teachers of English affirm that as professional practitioners, English language arts teachers are best qualified to decide what constitutes informed practice and curriculum content;

that NCTE urge legislative bodies and the agencies that regulate education to directly involve professional language arts organizations in the development of all legislation, regulations, and guidelines governing English language arts practice and curriculum; and

that NCTE oppose the imposition by mandate of curriculum and practice that have not been developed with the involvement of professional language arts organizations and English language arts teachers.

This position statement may be printed, copied, and disseminated without permission from NCTE.