On Sat, 7 Dec 1996 RWalls wrote:
> Yes I am. How can I help you?
Greetings Bob,
First let me congratulate you on your fight and principles. I am envious of you since you did something I tried about twenty years ago and lost both the battle and job. No matter, I moved on to bigger and better things. I do know you are aware of the banning of books in our schools and I feel your publicized victory is a major step in the direction of helping other teachers do as you did. You are certainly not alone in what you did, but the publicity does help to spread the word and set a precedent for others. Being recognized in a paper such as the New York Times whicn many consider a paper of record makes you a model, a poster boy if you will for a very important cause.
I do not know if you frequent educational listservs, but the matter of fighting for one's principles whether it is over banned books, test standards, tenure, or what ever are always hot items on these lists. If are are on these lists then you know this. And if you are on these lists, I wonder why you haven't jumped in on the discusssions on banned books.
How can you help me? I am on the editorial board of _Kairos_ an online journal for teachers of writing. I would be interested in pursuing this issue with you for an article in our upcoming issue. I would have to run this by our editor Mick Doherty, but I would like to ask you first if you would be interested. Essentially we would like to publish the story of this saga. On another matter, I am coediting a book with two college professors on writing. I do not know if you use computers in your class, but you do teach writing I'm sure and your use of Schoolgirls probably created some great essays.
And finally, if you are ever in NYC, please let me know and I ask that you visit me at my school in lower Manhattan. I have some people I would like meet you. And then me and some others would like to take you to dinner. I enjoyed reading the story of your fight because I would like to believe I share the same principles and ethics as you when it comes to education.
Ted 8-)