On the one hand, the social science tradition of imitating hard scientific methodology has led to a situation in which much research has little to offer the real and complex world of the practicing teacher. On the other hand, some educators measure education by the angle of students' heads and the quality of their graffiti in the washroom. Most school textbooks reinforce the idea that students should be passive and that knowledge should simply be given to them. Some presumptions and values about reading, language, and educational development also hinder effective teaching. The unreality of much educational research is reflected in the nature of the reading curriculum being offered to students. Educators' assumptions do not match the needs expressed by young people. An obsession with "good" books is a form of censorship, excluding much material that may promote literacy and differing points of view. Rather than a mechanical literacy, the future requires a literacy that promises intellectual freedom and an opening of the mind. (JL)