Is Our President Learning?

(A rhetorical question I realize, since we found out the answer long ago…).

This Letter To The Editor appeared yesterday in the New York Times Book Review (very special hat tip to Mrs. Doomsy for this one).

To the Editor:

In his review of “Read All About It!,” the children’s book by Laura and Jenna Bush aimed at convincing reluctant readers that books are fun (May 11), Roger Sutton says that Laura Bush “has brought both professional expertise and personal investment to a favorite first-lady cause: literacy.”

Reading Is Fundamental, or R.I.F., is, according to its Web site, “the oldest and largest children’s and family nonprofit literacy organization in the United States.” As a librarian in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn, I know firsthand how excited children are to receive free books from the R.I.F. program. Many of them might not otherwise be able to own their own books, and most of the program’s participants become more interested in reading as a result. Although Laura Bush has served on R.I.F.’s national advisory council, President Bush has eliminated all federal funding for R.I.F.’s book distribution program in his proposed 2009 budget.

If Laura Bush truly wants to show her dedication to literacy, she should come out in favor of reinstating R.I.F.’s federal funding to the 2009 budget. This wonderful program has helped many more children discover the joys of reading than “Read All About It!” ever will.

Chloe Abercrombie
Brooklyn, NY

To learn more about R.I.F. (including how to contact Congress to restore funding), click here.