[NLA] Re: COABE, race & social justice

[JCretella@aol.com]

To All on this List,
I have some serious concerns about some recent posting concerning the COABE 
conference and the NAACP boycott issue.  It sound like some wrong assumptions 
are driving some conclusions about how the conference should be appraoached. 
I am a long standing member of COABE and I am disturbed and  with the 
perceptions being created by those who seem to know little or nothing about 
COABE.
First of All...The MIssion of COABE is very clear:
"The Commision on Adult Basic Education (COABE) provides leadership, 
professional development, networking opportunities, and advocacy for adult 
basic education practioners in order to advance the unification and 
professionalism of the field."
One of the major vehicles of accomplishing the COABE Mission is through and 
annual conference which has attracted hundreds and hundreds of practioners 
from all over the country. The conference moves all over the US to reflect 
the issues and interests of adult education practioners and to showcase 
programs in local areas. States bid more than two to three years in advance 
to host the conference. There are published guidelines which must be followed 
 by the local /state committtee before they will even be considered. They 
must submit a written proposal amd make a public presentation the the COABE 
board before  being considered as the "host site. I mention this process 
because the suggestion that COABE may be crossing the line of a Boycott are 
simply not fair. The Conference was planned well in advance of the boycott.
Secondly, Our colleagues in COABE from South Carolina are just as senitive to 
issues as anyone else...in or out of the state...In fact, COABE has been 
dealing witht poverty/race issues for many years...I am retired after more 
than 30 years in the field. My wife and I will travel to Charleston to the 
COABE conference and support the conference in every way we can...I am afraid 
the boycott of not spending dollars or whatever else will hurt the wrong 
people, including minority populations who benefit from COABE scholarships.
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