National Conference on Research in Language and Literacy

American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting 2007

The NCRLL session at AERA in Chicago 2007 was an outstanding success. Our Presidential Session was held in a very large meeting room, which was filled to capacity (estimated attendance: 150). NCRLL Presidential Session took place at AERA on Tuesday, April 10th from 2:15 to 3:45pm on Level 4 of the Sheraton Hotel. We held our Executive Board Meeting following that session.

Title:
With More Deliberate Speed: Comparative Reflections on
Research in Language and Literacy in a Global Context

Scheduled Time: Tue, Apr 10 - 2:15pm - 3:45pm

Building/Room: Sheraton / Chicago Ballroom, Section X, Level 4

Session Organizer: Robert Smith (American Educational Research Association)

Session Chair: Linda Darling-Hammond (Stanford University)
Session Discussant: Patricia Anders (University of Arizona)
Session Discussant: Arnetha F. Ball (Stanford University)

Session Papers and Presenters:

- "A Tale of Two Browns" - Joy A. Williamson (Stanford University)

- "The Brown Decision: Access or Exclusive" - Carol D. Lee (Northwestern University)

- "Linguistic Isolation of Hispanic Students in California's Public Schools" - Bernard R. Gifford (University of California - Berkeley), and Guadalupe Valdes (Stanford University)

- "Looking for Educational Equity: The Consequences of Relying on Brown" - Kris Gutierrez (University of California - Los Angeles)

- "International Perspectives on Brown: 'If Justice Is Our Objective'" - Joyce E. King (Georgia State University)

- "The Meaning of Brown ... for Now" - Gloria J. Ladson-Billings (University of Wisconsin - Madison)

Abstract:

This NCRLL session will view Brown v. Board of Education as a starting point to frame discussions about issues of research in language, literacy, equity and education from a global educational perspective since Brown v. Board of Education. This was an important historical effort that had great potential to impact the literate lives of a large number of poor, marginalized, and under achieving students. The Court’s injunction was that the Board of Education of Topeka and, by extension, all other segregationist school authorities in the U.S. had to “… make a prompt and reasonable start toward full compliance … (and to proceed) with all deliberate speed” to admit children to school on a non-discriminatory basis. While this ruling had great international impact, it is clear that we have not yet achieved our goal of equity in education, particularly as it relates to issues of literacy. When we look at the field of literacy education, the picture is disappointing for poor, marginalized, and under achieving students, and particularly for students of color. More than fifty years after Brown, educators are still greatly concerned that students from diverse racial, ethnic, socio-economic, and linguistic backgrounds are still failing at disproportionately high rates—their reading scores are still generally low and their writing skills are dismal. This session will bring together leading scholars to discuss the following question as it relates to issues of research in language and literacy: “What needs to happen before the passage of another fifty years in order for us to fully realize the potential of Brown v. Board of Education”?