PLEASE NOTE:

Beginning May 27, The Learning Network will suspend Ask a Reporter for the summer. While this and other features are on hiatus, we will be working to redesign our site to take advantage of the multimedia resources available on NYTimes.com, and to reflect the feedback we have received from our readers.

To learn more about the redesign, please visit www.nytimes.com/learning/specials/summerredesign.html .

Thank you for your interest in teaching and learning with The New York Times, and please check back with us in September 2008.