Argues that leftists err in rejecting, as dogmatically as conservatives endorse it, a restored emphasis on basic skills and knowledge which might be a force for liberation if administered with common sense, openness to cultural pluralism, and application of basics toward critical thinking rather than rote memorization. (RS)

Discusses how reading and writing are defined and valued in the study of English. Argues for teaching reading and writing as something other than a set of functional skills and for thinking about culture as more than a set of revered texts. (PRA)