<html><div style='background-color:'><DIV>
<P>JCretella - thanks for your letter - those of us coming to COABE with hopes to engage in constructive dialogue around issues of race, poverty and social justice will look forward to your contributions. Those of us planning the 'roundtable' do feel that the issue of the boycott has serious implications, and do not want to avoid the issues. However, like yourself, we realize that COABE is an important support system for thousands of adult educators. We look forward to your involvement with our efforts. </P>
<P>Sally Gabb, SABES SE<BR><BR></P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>From: JCretella@aol.com
<DIV></DIV>>Reply-To: nla@lists.literacytent.org
<DIV></DIV>>To: nla@lists.literacytent.org
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: Re: [NLA] Re: COABE, race & social justice
<DIV></DIV>>Date: Mon, 1 Apr 2002 12:12:25 EST
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>To All on this List,
<DIV></DIV>>I have some serious concerns about some recent posting concerning the COABE
<DIV></DIV>>conference and the NAACP boycott issue. It sound like some wrong assumptions
<DIV></DIV>>are driving some conclusions about how the conference should be appraoached.
<DIV></DIV>>I am a long standing member of COABE and I am disturbed and with the
<DIV></DIV>>perceptions being created by those who seem to know little or nothing about
<DIV></DIV>>COABE.
<DIV></DIV>>First of All...The MIssion of COABE is very clear:
<DIV></DIV>>"The Commision on Adult Basic Education (COABE) provides leadership,
<DIV></DIV>>professional development, networking opportunities, and advocacy for adult
<DIV></DIV>>basic education practioners in order to advance the unification and
<DIV></DIV>>professionalism of the field."
<DIV></DIV>>One of the major vehicles of accomplishing the COABE Mission is through and
<DIV></DIV>>annual conference which has attracted hundreds and hundreds of practioners
<DIV></DIV>>from all over the country. The conference moves all over the US to reflect
<DIV></DIV>>the issues and interests of adult education practioners and to showcase
<DIV></DIV>>programs in local areas. States bid more than two to three years in advance
<DIV></DIV>>to host the conference. There are published guidelines which must be followed
<DIV></DIV>> by the local /state committtee before they will even be considered. They
<DIV></DIV>>must submit a written proposal amd make a public presentation the the COABE
<DIV></DIV>>board before being considered as the "host site. I mention this process
<DIV></DIV>>because the suggestion that COABE may be crossing the line of a Boycott are
<DIV></DIV>>simply not fair. The Conference was planned well in advance of the boycott.
<DIV></DIV>>Secondly, Our colleagues in COABE from South Carolina are just as senitive to
<DIV></DIV>>issues as anyone else...in or out of the state...In fact, COABE has been
<DIV></DIV>>dealing witht poverty/race issues for many years...I am retired after more
<DIV></DIV>>than 30 years in the field. My wife and I will travel to Charleston to the
<DIV></DIV>>COABE conference and support the conference in every way we can...I am afraid
<DIV></DIV>>the boycott of not spending dollars or whatever else will hurt the wrong
<DIV></DIV>>people, including minority populations who benefit from COABE scholarships.
<DIV></DIV>>_______________________________________________
<DIV></DIV>>NLA mailing list: NLA@lists.literacytent.org
<DIV></DIV>>http://lists.literacytent.org/mailman/listinfo/nla
<DIV></DIV>>LiteracyTent: web hosting, news, community and goodies for literacy
<DIV></DIV>>http://literacytent.org
<DIV></DIV></div><br clear=all><hr>Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: <a href='http://g.msn.com/1HM305401/14'>Click Here</a><br></html>
_______________________________________________
NLA mailing list: NLA@lists.literacytent.org
http://lists.literacytent.org/mailman/listinfo/nla
LiteracyTent: web hosting, news, community and goodies for literacy
http://literacytent.org