[NLA] Leadership for Adult Education and Literacy

[Debbie Yoho]

Tom Sticht's posting listing the various national leadership organizations
begs a question, as I'm sure he intended it to do. We do not have a
shortage of leaders--what we lack is ONE leader. While I for one am not
unhappy, by any means, at the multiplicity of leadership and resources,
unfortunately we must deal with the reality that business, government, and
the proverbial "man on the street" cannot or will not expend the effort to
"listen" to all these "voices".   

It is incumbent on all of us to set aside our legendary penchant for
infighting and unite. We all know this.   The question is: "Unite behind
whom?"  I used to look to NIFL, until my naivete evaporated when I learned
that, as a government institution, NIFL is as vulnerable to political
wrangling as any other government entity. As a volunteer organization, of
course I look to Proliteracy, but the rest of the field does not.  COABE's
emphasis on professionalism, which I support, appears exclusive and
far-removed from volunteer literacy.  And the research centers, are, well,
research centers. The National Coalition has its hands full just dealing
with legislation, and is not structured to provide support to the field. 

Of course, the fact is education in this country remains a LOCAL
responsibility, with state oversight in some respects.  The national role
is largely the safeguarding of equal opportunity through categorical
funding, and certainly not to provide leadership, as Tom    
Sticht pointed out.

And so we are left to choose from among many leaders in the search for
mentorship, support, best practices, a "voice".  I could ask "what's so bad
about that?",  but we all know that one of the primary reasons why we work
in a "marginalized" field is because we lack a champion to fight for us,
for all of us.  Suppose for a moment that we all agreed on a fundamental
"manifesto" about the importance of adult development and how to foster it.
Then what? 


Deborah W. Yoho
Co-moderator, NIFL-Health Listserv
President, SC Adult Literacy Educators
Executive Director, Greater Columbia Literacy Council
2728 Devine Street,  Columbia, SC  29205
803-765-2555   Fax  803-779-8417   dwyoho at earthlink.net



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