Scoring SAT-style exam essays, John S. O'Connor is struck by the disconnection between the subject matter and students' personal lives. Further, O'Connor notes that such tests draw an alarming distinction between writing and "content"--as if the two are unrelated. O'Connor calls for a broader understanding of literacy, and he warns of dire consequences to students and to best practices in our classrooms if we rely on timed essay writing devoid of content as the best measure of student understanding. (Contains 3 figures.)