Episode Abstract: This episode explores the re-emergence of the “reading wars,” beginning with a warning about the way the framing of this discussion through the language of war and militaristic terms is first, insulting to people who are experiencing war, and second, creates divisive and polarizing camps that get in the way of generative conversation about helping students in public schools learn to read. We explore the way the Science of Reading movement has been legitimized and mobilized in K-12 schools. A major theme of this conversation is the idea of framing—particularly how these discussions are framed by and through “rights” and “science.” Drawing on Maren Aukerman’s work, we also speak about the way the mainstream media has narrated and framed this issue and impacted broader public dialogue about reading. The conversation considers the movement’s influence on policy, teacher education, curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment, with particular attention to how these debates are unfolding across the Prairie provinces. It also asks what is at stake for public education and the public good when educators’ professional and scholarly perspectives are marginalized, and how teacher educators and literacy scholars are working to bring more complex understandings of reading and literacies into public discourse. Guest Bios: Dr. Lori McKee is an Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum Studies at the University of Saskatchewan. Lori comes to this academic position having been an elementary teacher for 20 years, teaching in early elementary classrooms and in Reading Recovery. Lori’s research focuses on the intersections of literacies, pedagogies, and teacher professional learning. She is currently the principal investigator of the Prairie Literacies Project and a co-investigator on the Reading Pedagogies of Equity: Networked Literacy Pedagogues as Resources for Academic Reading Praxes in Teacher Education project (funded through a SSHRC Insight Grant, Rachel Heydon, PhD, Principal Investigator). Both of these projects focus on expanding literacies teaching and learning. Dr. Joe Stouffer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy in the Faculty of Education at Brandon University, where he has been recognized with the Senate Award for Excellence in Teaching. His research and ongoing work with schools examines strengthening formative assessment and responsive instructional practices in reading and writing for pre-service teachers and in Kindergarten-Grade 8 classrooms. Joe’s scholarship is grounded in extensive school-based experience as a classroom teacher, Reading Recovery Teacher Leader, literacy coach, and a literacy consultant working across Canada. References/Resources: Aukerman, M.S. (2022). The Science of Reading and the media: Is reporting biased? Literary Research Association. https://literacyresearchassociation.org/stories/thescience-of-reading-and-the-media-is-reporting-biased/ Aukerman, M. S., Birch, R. J., & Fray, L. (2026). Children’s Inalienable Literacy Education Rights and the Science of Reading. Reading Research Quarterly, 61(2), e70104. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.70104 Aukerman, M.S., & Chambers Schuldt, L. (2021). What matters most? Toward a robust and socially just science of reading. Reading Research Quarterly, 56(S1), S85– S103. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.406 Aukerman, M.S., & Lenters, K. (2026). Beyond the Science of Reading: Disentangling Five Common Myths. https://doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/51569 Cummins, J. (2023). Right to read implies opportunity to read: A contribution to the ongoing dialogue concerning the Ontario human rights commission right to read report. Journal of Teaching and Learning Downey, A. M., Gallagher, T. L., Lemieux, A., McKee, L., Stouffer, J., & Wood, J. (2024). Literacy Teachers Navigating Turbulent Times in Canada / Faire face à la tempête: Enseignement, littératie et instabilités au Canada. Language and Literacy / Langue et Littératie, 26(3), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.20360/langandlit29750 Honeyford, M., Stouffer, J., Watt, J., Janzen, M., Du, X., Ntelioglou, B., & Michalovich, A. (2026). Responding to Manitoba’s “Right to Read” Report. Journal of Teaching and Learning, 20. https://doi.org/10.22329/jtl.v20i4.11753 McKee, L., & Scheffel, T.-L. (2024). Thoughtfully Navigating the Terrain of Teaching English Language Arts: An Examination of Two Teacher Educators’ Literacies Pedagogies. Language & Literacy (Kingston, Ont.), 26(3), 75–95. https://doi.org/10.20360/langandlit29699 Prairie Literacies: https://prairieliteracies.ca/ Stouffer, J., & Van Dyke, J. (2023). Stones from a Glass House: The Paradoxical Condemnation of Reading Recovery in the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s “Right to Read” Report. Journal of Teaching and Learning (Windsor), 17(1), 52-. https://doi.org/10.22329/jtl.v17i1.7426 Stouffer, J., Sutherland, K., & Matczuk, A. (2026). Broadening the conversation: Critical questions amidst narrowing views of classroom reading instruction. Language & Literacy, 28(1), 40-75. https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/langandlit/index.php/langandlit/article/view/29751/21625 Credits The show's producers are Melanie Janzen & Shannon D.M. Moore The co-hosts are Shannon D.M. Moore & Justin Fraser The technical producer is Devin King The cover art is by political cartoonist, Chris Chuckry. The songs 26 Ghosts III, 16 Ghosts II, and 35 Ghosts IV by Nine Inch Nails are used through a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/