NLA Discussion: No policy points from the NLA ?

[David Heath]

NLA Colleagues,

Jon Randall, in his explanatory response regarding the politics
of influence, made some interesting observations.  I would like
to put aside significant questions surrounding the relationship of
knowledge, power, politics and policy to focus on what I found to
be two startling comments of Mr. Randall.

Midway into his post, he says:

"If we had paid staff, more time for deliberation, and could count
on concrete policy suggestions proactively bubbling up from forums
like the NLA, I know we could be more democratic."

Then in a couple of paragraphs down, "I also suggested that the NCL
Policy Committee could take up grassroots policy recommendations
developed and advanced on the NLA.  My frustration will show as
I say that despite all the dialogue here, I have yet to see a single policy
recommendation."

I find it remarkable that Jon has not seen a <single> policy
recommendation bubbling up from the open discourse on the NLA,
yet in the relatively short time I have been subscribed to the NLA, I
have seen many policy recommendations.  Perhaps, we do not share
a common definition of what constitutes a "policy recommendation"
or what a "concrete" recommendation might be.  However, even
taking into account a legitimate spectrum of viewpoints as to these
definitions, I still find it hard to believe that Jon has not seen a single
policy recommendation coming from the NLA.

Jon, are you actually suggesting that of all the posts to the NLA,
let's say, in the last year, you have not recognized <any> policy
suggestions?  Not even from Tom Sticht or George Demetrion?
Not from David Rosen?  (Not to mention five other contributors I
can think of off the top of my head.)

Rather than address the obvious policy contributions of the major
speakers on the NLA, let me make this difficult for myself.  I am a
small fish in the speaker list here, yet I have stated many times on
the NLA that educational theory, practice and policy should take into
account and advocate for an interpretive, structural-developmental
foundation.  I have explained what I mean by this and have referred
the institutional leaders in the field to specific think tanks that I feel
may assist in fleshing out this idea.

However cockeyed, errant or abstruse this idea might seem to you
or others representing the NCL, NIFL, NCSALL, I do believe this is
policy recommendation from the grassroots.  Am I missing something?

Finally, didn't the summit change of goal from a specific literacy
target to a vision for a literacy system have something to do with
what was said by many of us on the NLA.maybe not?

Curious,

David Heath
Odessa College
dheath at apex2000.net








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