Casual conversation

["Gail K. Dickinson" <ny001001@MAIL.NYSER.NET>]

        In Indiana, (help me with the exact quote, AIME members) I heard
Caroline Cooney (author) say that sometime around the 5th through the
8th grades, kids make a conscious decision whether or not to keep
reading.  That has haunted me since then.   While we are budget-cutting,
job-tossing, and removing challenged literature; kids are closing books,
and they may not open one again willingly until well into adulthood.  It
seems to me that trying to influence that decision is our purpose in the
school.  If we can get them reading in the elementary school; and keep
them reading through middle school; they will be independent users of
information.  We can't do that, unless we're there; with a decent
budget and with adequate support from the community.
        So far, I have written quiet but quite clear messages describing
the above to the librarians in my district, the building principals, the
central office administrators, and intend to use it in letters to
legislators.   I may not be able to change the situation, but I'll do
what I can from where I am.   If we all do that, the accumulated guilt
that we could create just might change that.
administrators, our legislators, and our school boards.