[NLA] Policy regarding the use of AELS

[George E. Demetrion]

Amen, Sister Nancy!

We need to establish a renewed sense of advocacy on a comprehensive and
inclusive vision where none of us are viewed as second class citizens. 
In that regard, I think Tom makes a good point when he argues that the
adult literacy piece should be pulled out of the WIA legislation and
reconstructed under its own tent.  He also makes a good point in
identifying a broad spectrum of impacts, and not just economic issues,
upon which to advocate, in support of public justification.  In addition,
he discusses the importance of the investment as a viable metaphor
through which to narrate the many ways that literacy positively impacts
the lives of adults.  

I accept that as one vehicle, but want to encourage a broader set of
values as well in which the capitalistic metaphor of investment can be
balanced with more democratic language that links impact with the
strengthening of mediating institutions as reflected in the EFF
community, worker, and family Role Maps.  In addition, I think we can
also draw on democratic language that Catherine King uses when she links
the literacy learning community with the cultural value of social
facilitation and the commonwealth tradition in strengthening the
foundation of the republic of the United States.  In a recent article,
Forrest Chisman also speaks of literacy as an inalienable right.  The
various strands of public justification need to be subtly and richly
woven together.  We need to be about that work of creative language
reconstruction.

With you, Nancy, I am a staff member of an agency that has an affiliation
with ProLiteracy Worldwide.  Notwithstanding our urban context, the
students we serve are not too dissimilar from those that your program
supports.  The community-based volunteer agencies play a unique role in
working with a large number of adults who might not otherwise find
accessible support in the traditional ABE programs, which also, obviously
do good work. 

 In addition, agencies under the aegis of ProLiteracy Worldwide and other
volunteer agencies contribute to the public good in another subtle way,
in their active promotion of the volunteer ethos, which plays a prominent
cultural role in our society.  Through a powerful volunteer ethos (and
those of us who have worked with volunteers for years, know full well the
value of their often untold contribution), our agencies contribute to the
public good in a profoundly cultural manner in buttressing the spirit of
America at its best.  We need to stand up for this value, which crosses
ideological boundaries.

So, there's a broad continuum, from those barely able to read and write,
or speak and understand English, if English is other than their first
language, to those who are able to obtain their high school
equivalencies.  Regardless of level, there is impact, and that impact is
often subtle, profound, moving, and critically important, yes, for the
individual, but also for the family, the community, and the broader
society, particularly for the ethos of our democratic political culture. 
This all can be documented through an enlightened research program and a
value system that acknowledges the importance of education at any level,
but particularly for adults as lifelong learners within the context of an
increasingly complex and rich postinduistrial, multicultural society.

Let us build anew.  Let us build comprehensively.  Let us build
inclusively with unswerving passion, focus, and in broad unity.

George Demetrion
sophocles5 at juno.com


On Mon, 30 Dec 2002 15:56:47 -0800 (PST) Nancy Hansen
<sfallsliteracy at yahoo.com> writes:
>Tom and other interested NLA subscribers:
>
>--- Thomas Sticht <tsticht at znet.com> wrote:
>> "Nancy Hansen recently recalled the earlier messages
>> on this list that were aimed at finding a name for 
>> the field. That was in 2000 and resulted from
>> a post I made noticing that the field did not have a
>> name that was commonly used. David Rosen, our >
>moderator, ran a survey to find names for the field >
>but there was never any final agreement on a name for
>> the field.">>
>
>Tom, I don't know what your "case" is with who in the
>world came up with the name here, but it feels as
>though it's an issue because of the recognition of it
>all.  
>
>David Rosen in the past couple days did respond to
>this thread and encouraged us to agree to disagree. 
>Even though there was never "final agreement on a name
>for the field", I felt as though others gave input
>into the final choices -- one of which being AELS --
>not just any one person. Here I thought back in 2000
>the issue of what are we going to call ourselves was a
>dead issue.  Who would have known that two (nearly
>three) years later it would become another
>controversy?
>
>Tom continued:
>> "Nancy is correct in understanding that if her
>> program does not receive funding from and does not 
>> operate by the rules and regulations of the WIA
>> Title 2 Adult Education and Family Literacy Act
>> state grants program then it is not a member of the 
>> AELS as I have defined the AELS. However, if I 
>> understand her program correctly, it is an affiliate
>> of the ProLiteracy America system and as such the 
>> advocacy efforts that ProLiteracy America carries
>out > are activities her program can participate in
>along 
>> with the 1500 or so other ProLiteracy America 
>> affiliates." >>
>
>Yes.  Tom did understand my program correctly and that
>this Literacy Council is a <proud> affiliate of the
>Proliteracy America organization.  That was why I
>signed my post the way I did.  Thank you. I am <glad>
>that you "gave me that much".  1500 organizations
>isn't anything to scoff at, I'd say.  But the
>hard-cold reality <is>, Tom, that those of us who are
>on the outside of the AELS often feel as though our
>programs don't matter much, even though our programs
>participate actively in another national literacy
>organization called ProLiteracy America.
>
>Tom went on and wrote:
>> "To say that one’s program is not a member of the
>> AELS is not to say that the program is not a valued 
>> member of the adult literacy education FIELD.  Being
>> a member of the adult literacy education FIELD is 
>> different than being a member of either ProLiteracy 
>> America or the AELS. There are numerous adult 
>> educators and literacy professionals who are not 
>> members of either the AELS or ProLiteracy 
>> America...>>" 
>
>Tom's message went far beyond the above point, but
>what he is saying here is what I want folks to get: We
><all> want to be of value in The Field.  It is wrong
>to be exclusionary by speaking in acronyms to
>decision-makers without clearly identifying the
>acronym with either definitive and appropriate
>adjectives or explaining in more detail the title to
>tell who the people under the "acronym umbrella"
>really are.  
>
>
>
>Tom is absolutely right in saying that there are many
>valued members of the FIELD.  But my question IS:  Why
>must <we> outside that group within the field *feel*
>as though we take a backseat of importance to those
>who are funded by one federal fund?  I don't think
>that's right.
>
>
>
>I suspect those 'outside the AELS loop', so to speak,
>are just as dedicated, just as passionate about their
>jobs, just as heavily involved in advocacy, just as
>serious about providing adult learners their
>hoped-for/expected outcomes as all the others in<side>
>the AELS acronym.  
>
>
>The difference may be that we all march to a different
><drummer>, but we still are members of the FIELD which
>is providing the service to adult learners ... To men
>and women who come in crisis to gain higher level
>literacy skills than when <they> marched in **our**
>doors.  (I just described myself and my program, Tom.)
>
>
>I was very happy to read the following paragraph:
>> ... to be a part of the ProLiteracy America
>> advocacy agenda is to also be part of the AELS (as I
>> have defined it)advocacy agenda. As the AELS rises, 
>> so does ProLiteracy America (and many other 
>> organizations that work in the field of adult 
>> education and literacy development). Each is the sea
>> in which the other floats. >>
>
>The fact of the matter is, and what I predict will
>occur sometime in the future, there will be a few
><more> people "sit up and take notice" when the voices
>of the ProLiteracy America organization begin to be
>heard.  The currently outspoken people who talk about
>educational practices being utilized by various
>practioners across the nation are primarily speaking
>from the adult education side of the issue, <I>
>believe.  Little concern seems to exist for the
>learner with literacy needs and goals whose skills are
>not determined accurately by timed testing tools.  
>
>
>Allow me a small prediction: A great many more
><literacy> practitioners/providers will join in
>advocating for change once they feel they are truly
>being respected and allowed to speak their piece
>without criticizm.  There are lurkers reading this
>right now who won't post their feelings.  They've told
>me they won't.  They very likely have more power and
>administer larger programs than I'd ever <hope> to
>have in my very small end-of-the-world, yet they will
>not share their feelings.  They just bite their
>proverbial tongue.  I'd love to hear what they have to
>say.
>
>
>
>I liked very much the way Tom concluded the above
>paragraph.  He's absolutely correct in saying "Each is
>the sea in which the other floats."  We are all in a
>swirling school of silvery fish, different colors of
>the rainbow and shapes and capabilities, floating in a
>green-blue sea.  We all live in the same big watery
>space.
>
>
>All that I am asking is - offer those of us outside
>the AELS equal opportunities to provide equal
>programming for equally funded entities, for equally
>deserving adult learners as those with<in> the AELS
>acronym.  And, while you're at it? Tell others who
>have their tightly clenched fist on the purse-strings
>that we exist in this worldly sea.
>
>
>
>Nancy Hansen
>Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council
>Sioux Falls, SD
>sfallsliteracy at yahoo.com
>
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