Support for the Learning and Teaching of English (SLATE) is a vital part of National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), serving as the "action wing" for members. Along with providing expert testimony at state and national hearings, SLATE's presence in the intellectual arena has most often taken the form of newsletters and "Starter Sheets," published and distributed to keep teachers informed and actively engaged in education issues. Every year SLATE awards the prestigious Intellectual Freedom Award to individuals, groups, or institutions that have shown courage in the cause of intellectual freedom. Despite years of championing intellectual freedom and students' right to read, books such as Laurie Halse Anderson's "Speak" continue to be banned. Despite SLATE's tireless efforts to help teachers' voices be heard, the public--mesmerized by David Guggenheim's film--is still waiting for Superman.