[Reading-hall-of-fame] Fwd: Re: Literacy leadership institute

[Yetta Goodman]

Dear Reading Hall of Fame Members
I think it is very appropriate to send any concerns any of us have have
about IRA and/or BofD actions directly to M. Mullen, Victoria Risko and
BofD members.  It seems to me that there are things going on at IRA that
even Board of Director Members and the IRA presidential are not aware of.

I have heard recently that IRA headquarters selects and invites all the IRA
speakers. I worry about how this supports the BofD and Executive Committee
to highlight those scholars in our field who have the greatest impact and
need to be heard by membership.  I saw Jerry and Helen Weiss at NCTE.
 Jerry said that he was told by one of the publishers he still works with
that IRA no longer selects and invites authors to the conference but that
this is negotiated by an outside agency who doesn't seem to know IRA
history or  mission. Helen Weiss asked me: "shouldn't membership be
involved in such decisions.  Isn't IRA a membership organization?"

I think when new professional organizational directions are decided at IRA,
membership with a history, concerns for literacy education, aware of what
is wanted and needed by teachers, researchers etc. must be informed and
their participation and questions encouraged. Rumors about IRA are rampant.
But most important is that the Executive Board must be involved in decision
making and then make sure information is made transparent to the
membership.   Yetta Goodman, past board member.





-- 
Yetta Goodman, Regents Professor Emerita
7914 S Galilleo Lane, Tucson Arizona 85747
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