Why English teachers grow old

A man in Pennsylvania convicted of disorderly conduct was sentenced to read Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird and report on it. Sounds like a neat idea? Then why are librarians and English teachers cringing? Because they hate the idea of reading and writing as punishments. Reading and writing are supposed to be empowering, uplifting, fun. Using literature to punish somebody practically guarantees that person (an adult in this case, but more often a student) will avoid reading and writing like the plague in the future.

Nevertheless, I'm bringing the news story to work today at the l.c.n.b.. The staff needs the laughs, in my opinion.

A friend today told me she saw my name in Plyllis Burke's book Family Values and wondered if that were me. Yes, it was I carrying that sign at the Basic Instinct protests reading BUTT-UGLY DOUGLAS GO HOME.

New! A month after coming back from Holden Village, I have finally posted an edited version of the journal I kept while I was up there.