Poverty, Literacy, and Politics: Living in the USA

Abstract

The following article by Patrick Shannon is the second installment of a three-part series on literacy and educational policy in jlr's Critical Issues section. Previously (Volume 23, Number 2), Judith Green with Carol Dixon, David Pearson, and Sharon Quint commented respectively on the ideas they believed to be crucial for policymakers to know about literacy, from their view as literacy researchers. At the same time, we published Donna Alvermann's reaction to the views of the three researchers. Patrick Shannon now addresses how poverty and social disadvantages relate to literacy research and policy issues. In the next issue of jlr (Volume 23, Number 4), we will publish the comments of several high-ranking policymakers who have been asked to respond to the literacy researchers' views on literacy and educational policy. We hope that this series of “Critical Issues” pieces will stimulate increased dialogue about educational policy among researchers interested in literacy and between researchers and policymakers. Toward that end, we encourage readers to ponder the perspectives and ideas presented in this series and to consider adding their own insights by submitting letters to the editor, which will be considered for publication.