[NLA] Adult versus children's literacy

[Debbie Yoho]

from Daphne Greenberg:  "...but it seems to me that over the years there
has been a shift away from adult literacy. From my associations with
corporate America, I get the sense that in the last 10 years, there is an
attitude that the corporations no longer want to give money to adult
literacy. They want to invest in children. There are many reasons given,
some of them including: adults can't be helped, it isn't sexy to give money
to adults, everyone wants to help children, etc., etc."

Daphne's right.  I think that if the Bush administration wants to put a
children's "spin" on the nation's literacy needs they are following a
political trend.   I think the current administration knows that it is
politically expedient to be the "education president" and that jumping on
the bandwagon to crusade for children's literacy is a no-risk,
non-controversial way to be associated with the nation's search for
solutions for k-12 problems, while at the same time advancing the idea of a
"limited, small national government".  Reforming k-12 is a state/local
problem.  The politically best approach from the national standpoint,
therefore, is to be aligned with an idea, i.e.  little kids reading, that
no one could possibly criticize, and come across as "pro-education"
activitists, while actually doing little or nothing. 

Locally, I have found the best way to deal with the groundswell of
children's literacy advocates (who seem to have no or little interest in
acknowledging that a child's success depends more on the parent's literacy
than any other factor) is to co-opt them.  So here we started providing
children's services, and every time I attend a meeting where children's
literacy is the focus I never miss a chance to preach that the child's
literacy is wrapped up with the parent's.  This has given us more
visibility and access to decision-makers for adult literacy advocacy.  

I think the handwriting is on the wall.  The nominees will be approved, and
the children's advocates will win the day at NIFL.  But like Tom Sticht, I
think it may be possible to make lemonade from lemons.  Instead of
returning the money, grab the opportunity to work harder advocating for
adults AND children and come out as champions of a cause, instead of
protectors of adult turf.


Deborah W. Yoho
Co-moderator, NIFL-Health  and
Executive Director
Greater Columbia Literacy Council
921 Woodrow Street, Columbia, SC  29205
803-765-2555   Fax  803-779-8417   dwyoho at earthlink.net



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