I won't comment on Mr. Reis's rather skewed vision of the state of literacy
in the U.S.A. Rather, I would like to suggest that "the resistance to
grammar" that we meet from our students is not very different from their
resistance to poetry, reading of any kind, algebra, geography, or chemistry.
It might be worth our while to consider the larger issues, rather than blame
public education for the apparent failings of modern society. It seems to me
that our students' real issues are linked more with the materialism of the
1980s in which they were born, as well as with their seemingly insatiable
need to be entertained (how often to we hear them complain that x, y, or z
is boring?)!

Any takers?

Paul

----- Original Message -----
From: Robert Einarsson <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2000 2:28 PM
Subject: Re: politics of grammar


> Bob Yates does not respond to Robert Reis's actual literacy
> statistics.  If those statistics are true, how did so many people
> become literate without a public school system?  And does the
> current education establishment have anything to do with the
> resistance to grammar that many of us have experienced?
>
> True, Robert Reis's posting does not contain any grammar tips.
> But members of this listserve do need to be aware that grammar
> has somehow become a political issue, strangely enough.
>
> -----------------------------------------------------
> Sincerely, Robert Einarsson
> please visit me at
> www.artsci.gmcc.ab.ca/people/einarssonb
>
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>

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