A more accurate title might be "Issues with The Atlantic's framing of student difficulty with lengthy assigned reading"
Relevant gripes:
>> These are all points I made in speaking to and emailing with Horowitch and her fact checkers throughout the summer. [...] Perhaps the most disappointing defeat I observed in the final article was that although I shared my observations of the tireless work of colleagues at the state and national level advocating for intellectual freedom, Horowitch does not acknowledge that culturally, we do not value reading. We ban books, scrutinize classroom libraries, demonize librarians, and demoralize teachers. We pay lip service to the importance of literacy, requiring four years of English and regularly testing literacy skills, but when push comes to shove, we don’t make space for the curiosity and joy that are the foundations of lifelong literacy habits. In truth, we seem to be doggedly fighting against the best interest of a literate populace.
The title is a let down. I was earnestly anticipating a sensationalist portrayal of the author's experience, irrespective of its nature.
I have certain expectations when I hear about someone being "done dirty". Now I have to read what looks like a modest and respectable account...about reading...and stuff like that.
indeed. somewhere the world's tiniest violin must be playing a very sad song for her
perhaps, and maybe i'm just spitballing here, the author of the article didn't agree with her take on things does she really think that if you are interviewed by a journalist, that they are compelled to agree with you and take your side? and if they don't they "did you dirty"?
ugh. this is the kind of self-important english teacher i'm very happy to despise.
having eagerly digested all those great literary works and wisdom of the ages, and trendy modern ones too, i wonder how long it will be before she discovers the source of her feelings of "demoralization" (and it's not some hack journalist at the atlantic)
If you scroll about halfway down, she gets to the meat of her contention with the article (and therefore the incorrectness of the popular take on how current literature education is failing students).
Perhaps intentionally ironically that she would bury the lede of a piece about how people are incapable of reading at length...
Relevant gripes:
>> These are all points I made in speaking to and emailing with Horowitch and her fact checkers throughout the summer. [...] Perhaps the most disappointing defeat I observed in the final article was that although I shared my observations of the tireless work of colleagues at the state and national level advocating for intellectual freedom, Horowitch does not acknowledge that culturally, we do not value reading. We ban books, scrutinize classroom libraries, demonize librarians, and demoralize teachers. We pay lip service to the importance of literacy, requiring four years of English and regularly testing literacy skills, but when push comes to shove, we don’t make space for the curiosity and joy that are the foundations of lifelong literacy habits. In truth, we seem to be doggedly fighting against the best interest of a literate populace.