ABSTRACT
One warm day in the spring of 2006, I visited a U.S. History class at a public charter school in a large Midwestern city. I was to listen to students engage in a spirited and thoughtful discussion about whether abortion should be legal or illegal in the United States. The classroom was a packed and bustling place. Hundreds of books and newspapers spilled out from the room’s many bookshelves and student essays hung on the walls. The rest of the wall space featured posters blaring inspirational sayings: Challenge Each Other Intellectually, Seek Wisdom, Be Organized, Live a Healthy Lifestyle, Speak Your Mind Even If Your Voice Shakes, and Those Who Will Not Read Have No Advantage Over Those Who Cannot Read.
