I feel strongly...

The list in Hirsch's appendix of "What Literate Americans Know" literally made me laugh. The main problem I have with Hirsch is that he is assuming that if everyone only knew this huge list of things, then the nation will be fine and poverty will no longer be an issue and race will no longer be an issue. To me, it seems like this is what he is saying. He is grossly oversimplifying a much larger and more complicated issue. I would also like to point out that this list he generated, is indeed generated by the white "culture of power." I "google imaged" E.D. Hirsch, Jr. and would it surprise anyone to find out that he is, in fact, an old [rich] white man? The information contained in his list seemed to me to be very grounded in white, European culture. He states that the overarching culture of the nation tends to change with time but I question why there are still so many references to Christian thought in his list considering there are so many other religions celebrated and practiced in our country today. My guess is because he is Christian and was raised by Christians and so to him, this is something that should be part of the "What Literate Americans Know" list. However, what would the Muslims in our country have to say is important for the "What Literate Americans Know" list? Would the story of Cain and Abel be one?

I do not agree with Hirsch that what literate Americans need to know are arbitrary phrases and nouns from a list created by a single white man. I believe literate Americans should have the skills necessary to read and write and the know-how to apply these skills. They should know how to use a dictionary or the internet for help clarifying concepts they do not understand. I think students should be introduced to a variety of different works and authors. I also think that literacy takes into account Social Studies, Mathematics, and Sciences. In talking about Mathematical literacy, students should be explicitly taught how mathematical operations work and how they can be used to our advantage. Most importantly, I think literate Americans should know and have practiced how to think critically. I think students should be taught critical thinking all along the line (from pre-school on up) and it should be integrated into everything they are taught. I think that with critical thinking strategies combined with a strong hold on reading skills and a basic mathematical literacy, students can teach themselves many things.

I may not have as refined an opinion on "What Literate Americans Should Know" as Hirsch does, but I do know that a vast list of culturally insignificant (to most of our minority students) material is not what should determine if an American is culturally literate or not. There are many different cultures and what being culturally literate means for somebody who lives in East St. Louis may be different than for somebody who lives in Westchester.