Hello Friends,

This month in WinkWorld, we visit the Black Stallion Literacy Project, courtesy of Bazy Tankersley and Dr. Fé Brittain. I also invite you to visit fixnabe.com. In Prairie Pedagogy, I invite you to enjoy Dawn's contribution and some recent family pictures.

A Day with the Black Stallion Literacy Project
Read About It

Petition Calling for Resignation of NABE Executive
Board Gains 500 Signatures
By Charlie Ericksen
Hispanic Link 24(12), March 20, 2006

A petition calling for the resignations of the remaining seven members of the National Association for Bilingual Education executive board, new election of officers, and reinstatement of executive director James Crawford continues to circulate and grow nationally and internationally. It now contains signatures of some 500 members and nationally and internationally recognized experts in the field. NABE's contract with author-lecturer Crawford, long regarded as one of the nation's foremost authorities and advocates for the pedagogy, was not renewed last month after two years in what his supporters claim were petty or insufficient reasons. The remaining board declines to offer an explanation for its action, which caused three of its 10 members to resign. Petition signatories include such academic and activist leaders as professors Jim Cummins, University of Toronto; Lily Wong Fillmore, UC Berkeley; Guadalupe Valdes, Stanford University; Tove Skutnabb-Kangas, Abo Akademi University Vasa in Finland; and Bernard Spolsky, Bar-Ilan University, Isreal.

Hello Friends, I encourage you to consider the following petition. As many of you know, the NABE executive board fired Jim Crawford. Steve Krashen, Josie Tinajero, and Mary Carol Combs immediately resigned from the board in protest. Fay Shin has withdrawn her name in her campaign to be elected to the board. You can go to the petition website to see how many others feel. Thanks for taking action. In addition to signing the petition, I have written individually to the present board members, protesting their actions.

Joan

The petition info follows. Please share this request.

The following very important petition has been created as a vehicle for the membership of the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) and other NABE supporters to express concerns regarding the firing of Jim Crawford to the Executive Board in a collective voice.

Please read the petition. To add your name to the list of those demanding immediate reform of the Executive Board, visit
http://www.petitionthem.com/default.asp?sect=detail&pet=2545
to sign online.