Five college writing teachers who consider themselves critically and politically progressive were interviewed to see how much their political views influenced what they did in their composition classes. The comments of the teachers suggest that although they are very sensitive to the students' needs and go out of their way to accept diverse views in the classroom, they are much more political in the classroom than they give themselves credit for. They may use standard texts in their classes, and they may ask their students to proofread a paper with the aid of a handbook--yet they still seem to focus some of their assignments on the kinds of issues that many in the teaching profession would consider politically charged, such as race, class, and gender. The writing teachers interviewed, however, certainly do not pose any threat to the status quo in their institutions or in their departments. They know it is not wise to alienate their students and colleagues by assuming a radical political stance. Yet these teachers also feel that they are shortchanging their students if they deny them the chance to think and write about the difficult problems that the American culture does not always want to confront. (PRA)