An Anti-Academic Glimpse at Illiteracy in America
An Anti-Academic Glimpse at Illiteracy in America
By Quinton B Smith
Literacy by State
Literacy is Gift
There is a gift that only some will be given. This gift is the best way to synchronize minds and souls. Those who have it can carry a concept into the future, in some cases long after death. It can be taught to nearly every person on the planet--if given the opportunity. It is reading and writing comprehensively, objectively and well.
Literacy is Gift
There is a gift that only some will be given. This gift is the best way to synchronize minds and souls. Those who have it can carry a concept into the future, in some cases long after death. It can be taught to nearly every person on the planet--if given the opportunity. It is reading and writing comprehensively, objectively and well.
Some Estimates are Higher
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” (Ben Franklin). Literacy is the first priority when considering Equality of Opportunity, down to the words building the very laws written to protect every American’s rights to equality of opportunity. There are many factors thought to contribute to illiteracy in the United States. And each of those factors deserve a face, emotions and a visual stimulus. Something that might bring the surveyors of these figures into the reality of this problem. In other words, this problem needs to be felt as much as it is understood.
The costs are clear. Illiteracy has been linked to poverty—poverty has been linked to crime—crime and poverty are proven to cause more illiteracy amongst American children. The cycle is never ending. The problem is always. growing. Illiteracy is a large reason for hunger, drug use; even child abuse can be traced back as being a byproduct of illiteracy. Basically put, it costs more to rehabilitate than it does to educate. And whether or not our leaders are willing to admit it yet, educating a child is the same as feeding a child.
Hungry to Read
Read to end hunger
Yet, this issue is clearly misrepresented by biased media. For unknown reasons, reporters like Robert Rector write articles indicating problems like hungry American children are vanishing; and for unknown reasons, publications like the Central New York Business Journal publishes these opinions as factual findings. In September of 2003, Rector reported hunger in America, “was virtually a thing of the past… and was in decline.” But in 2001, Gurney Williams III published in Parenting, the total opposite facts in actual findings. Only two years earlier Williams wrote “more than 30 million people in the U.S. struggle with hunger… 12 million of them are children.” He goes on to say that “the number is only growing…” he then wrote that the “effects are lasting, decades after a child is without food, permanent consequences are suffered by the child.” He clearly explains what everyone should innately know. “If a little girl is hungry during class, her mind is somewhere else” (Williams). Today we know, Gurney William was right, but Robert Rector was heard.
Children are the Future
It is a Matter of National Security
Kids between the ages of five and 18 years old are those of interest when considering literacy as the greatest pentacle of the American ideal of the equality of opportunity. This is the age group public school are designed for. 5 to 18 is the age to focus on to rectify illiteracy in America. Our focus on National Security should be diverged towards combating the problem for the sake of children. Reaching the children is still an obtainable goal. Children should be our first priority--the main reason for National Security! We all know this is true
People Understand OR Care
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| The More we know the less we care. |
The Cost of Data
There is a subtraction that is forced by mathematics. Emotions are removed from the compositions made in the compassionate peoples’ quarry about how one is to improve the status quo. This is where the heart is lost and the formation of empirical figures formed. It is in this numeric autopsy where we may find real solutions. This is why the writers and researchers willingly yield to these hard terms. It is for the common goal of improvement that this literary sacrifice of humanity is made. The faces are lost for the sake of fixing a real problem.
This disconnection may be detrimental to the cause no matter the intent. Someone might learn how to fix illiteracy in America with statistics and flow charts but forget to care enough about the real child attached to the problem. Leaving most without motivation to put their own boots to the ground in bravely greeting this horrible issue head on.
Some reporters who navigate public opinion find angles to disseminate the data, in ways that are completely contrary to the ideals of most Americans; and more than that, their theories are repeatedly disproven by the scientific community. Dylan Matthews writes in Vox.com that “perusing true equality of opportunity will turn America into a dystopian, totalitarian nightmare… yet still proving impossible.” Matthews says this in the face of scholarly authors like Timothy D. Levenyan, Caroline Overington, and Bill Winter who explain how African Americans, women, and blind children, respectably, all deserve equal opportunities and are not getting them. Furthermore, Vox boasts about “Reaching over one hundred and fifty million young, affluent, and influential users” (vox media advertising). Vox reaches significantly more Americans than all three academic writers who don’t think the same way. This means Matthews reaches more than those scalars who are much more qualified to, and clearly do, disagree with him. Here the feelings are lost within the facts. There is no question whether or not Matthews’ ideas are beyond the periphery of what is thought correct by the scientific community, or by society for that matter. Here is where honest imagery would best combat these heartless viewpoints.
The Real Face of Illiteracy
See Billy Run
See Billy run from Eric.
Billy, who cannot read, is added to Sara, Trevor, Rosalie, and Eric who represent the children who can read very well. Billy is reduced into a figure, he becomes about 20 percent. He becomes one in five or one fifth. Children are turned into statistics and problems are, hopefully but not always, solved this way. The statistics gathered herein will revert back into children. Eric is the atypical latchkey kid because supplemental education is provided for him at an early age. Sara represents the typical latchkey kid because she is unsupervised after school and exhibits tendencies of childhood pregnancy and poor self-esteem that caries into middle school. Trevor and Rosalie set the goal of what we want for all American children. Still, their success is unavoidably afflicted by those children who occupy the other side of the statistical pie. Supporting data for this comes from, (Lee Sei-Young, Klein Sacha M. Benson, and Franke M. Todd)
As undereducated, underrepresented children grow up to be adults, they tend to make less money than those educated—namely, those literate adults. Those who are poor tend to have propensities towards crime. For instance, “those who can fill out a basic job application and can clearly understand a bus route pelmet are likely to earn a greater income than those who can’t” (Bishop 1991) and (Yellen 2014). Those who can’t function in society are likely to be poor. The cycle should need no further explanation than that. We should see the actual child before he or she becomes a vagrant begging on the street or a bill issued to the public for crimes committed and possibly, incarceration thereafter. We should know what their innocent, hopeful smiles looked like when they were still adorned with them.
“20 percent of American children” is now what is meant by the name Billy Strong. It is the second year little Billy has been a part of the American school system and his test scores clearly dwindle. There is no room to add notes about how he has a solid grasp on mathematics, but story problems just seem to elude his understanding. Nothing is recorded of his shame, fear, or hunger at home. The class room’s overall test scores are all that is recorded. As it is, Billy just sits nadir to the overall curve. None of the teachers have identified he suffers from nearsightedness.
No Money to Care
They don’t have the time or the resources to combat all Billy’s problems yet. Many argue for the rest of the class’s sake as if Billy does not matter to the total good and is instead, the detraction from the majority’s potential success. Remember “Billy” means 20 percent—mostly of all, boys but represents girls as well.
As far as Billy knows, his biggest problem is the irony the other kids have found in his last name. “Such a scrawny Strong kid,” Eric McClellan had coined the term the year before in kindergarten. Eric, had no intention to be mean, not knowing that Billy went without ample food from birth to nine months old and would suffer from stunted growth for the rest of his life when he begin chanting the hurtful words. Billy’s distress, from the mockery of his peers, cannot be quantified into a number. Likely, this is what is meant by a picture is worth a thousand words. Maybe if the people who decided how much money should be spent on teaching could see a single tear glissading above Billy’s forced smile, they just might consider education a better dollar spent than for rehabilitation. Supporting data is from (Williams).
Witch Hunting Bullies
Eric isn’t trying to be a mean kid. He has his own problems to deal with. His parents don’t hide their resentment for having to pay for childcare and tutors, and his mother suffered from severe post-partum depression when Eric was born; a real condition that most insurance companies ignore financial responsibility for. In first grade the McClellan parents both work fulltime jobs and as soon as Eric starts school he becomes our atypical latchkey kid (John D. Haltigan; Glenn I. Roisman). At least early on Eric was well nourished; he takes that advantage with him into the K-12 system along with an advance grasp on reading he received from paid tutors in the place of able, tactilely-available parents. Eric doesn’t know he is mean.
Family Ties Surpass any School
Trevor is safe at home and never hungry, “he’ll grow an inch taller and will be on average, ten pounds bigger than kids who periodically go without food, as well as children who lived in the fifties in his same economic-niche” (Williams). Trevor sees the irony in Billy being so small and having a last name like Strong. He’s a nice child but is unguided in how to keep above the “bullying in school yard dynamics” (Joseph R. Jones; Sharon Murphy Augustine). While Eric coined the phrase “Scrawny for a strong kid,” Trevor was the first one who got caught using it. Now Miss Donahue, the second grade teacher, has called Trevor into the office to meet with the principal about bullying. From here on out Eric will make fun of Trevor viciously for being a bully. Fortunately, Trevor has supportive parents who help him understand that this is not the case. Here is how one more numberless inequality is germinated; and no one will ever see it. Supporting data from (Bright, Charlotte Lyn; Jonson-Reid, Melissa.) and (Joseph R, Jones. R. Augustine, Murphy Sharon.)
Even though Trevor is self-assured, Rosalie and Sara believe Eric, and think Trevor is a bully. This condition stays with the girls into womanhood until one at time, at different times, when dealing with their own children, they catch the irony of it all. But only after a full childhood of isolating Trevor for being mean to the other kids. There are bullies who bully perceived bullies and this is not yet quantifiable, although probably detrimental in many instances. We couldn’t possibly know the damage without somehow seeing it firsthand.
Rosalie, who had early on caught the eye of the disinclined antagonist, Eric, was spared from his unreasonable scrutiny. This allowed her confidence to flourish from early on unhindered. Rosalie, having become self-assured from kindergarten until middle school, was, as a consequence, able to bypass Eric’s pubescent transformation; wherein his passive approval turned to active intentions towards her. Sara is now a beautiful young lady; however, a lowered level of self-confidence can be attributed to an early childhood of actual bullying and her lasting self-image that no longer represents reality. Sara is not as graceful to Eric’s advances and succumbs. Supporting data is from, (Joseph R, Jones. R. Augustine, Murphy Sharon.)
Our class is in high school now, all but Eric and the whole 95 pounds of Billy Strong. Eric age 15, who has fiscally supportive parents, is shipped off to military school after Sara refused to abort Eric’s baby. Billy, now aware of his vision problems, works for a family friend delivering phone books for the yellow-Page company and advertisement flyers printed out of a garage. He has still never owned a pair of glasses. Occasionally when bills need paying, Billy catches up by putting a spark plug at the end of a cotton rope through a side-window of a car, then steals the stereo and sometimes its airbags. Billy’s small hands seem perfect for the endeavor and his petite size helps him get through fence-gaps and so far, with the recent exception of one tenacious black lab, Billy has escaped unscathed. Meanwhile, Eric is gaining the advantage of strict discipline to complement is above average education and his empathy-dethatched drive to be better than those around him. Data for Eric is from (Stout).
Rosalie, now 16, was on track into getting into an excellent college preparatory academy, but the night before she was scheduled to meet with the recruiter, someone broke into her car and fouled the electronic system by removing her car’s air-bags. The police said it looked like a child, so they did not loose Tiny, the police departments’ 103 lbs. attack dog. Now the only clue they have is a piece of bloody denim Rosalie’s dog, Butter Cup, was able to retrieve from the suspect’s leg as he crossed through her back yard while fleeing. Rosalie eloquently explained this all to the dean of admissions. The prep school responded by saying that they’d give special consideration to her situation; but enrollment was filled fast that year and she would not get in. Where can we even begin to assign a dollar value to this sort of an event? We only know these things do happen. And unless education administrations actually see these things somehow, they will only perceive these things as well-worded excuses.
Intangible Damages
Now heading into high school, Rosalie, having to continue public education with her friends, earns extra money babysitting Sara’s new baby, Kayla. During this time Rosalie explains the importance of the ASATs, and helps Sara study. This helps Rosalie regain her esteem for learning but there still sets an unquantifiable figure from the damage to the outcome of her life, by not getting into preparatory academy. Sara will become a CNA, and work full time one day but only thanks to Rosalie suffrage.
These abstract subtraction from the quality of one’s life cannot be simplified into a number but nonetheless exist. They are recorded as crimes against property. For this case however, it is only through the price tag for an airbag and sound-system replacement that criminal scientists catalog the damage done to Rosalie. (Edelman) No correlation will be made to those days Billy went without food, then was bullied, and ultimately could not learn how to read and found as means to offset his disadvantage, thievery. This is only because he wasn’t given enough opportunities to learn how to read. This is where the cost to society is exponentially greater than if he was nurtured as a child—mentally and physically. “An ounce of prevention…” after all. Supporting data is from (Bright, Charlotte Lyn; Jonson-Reid, Melissa).
Because it is likely Billy Strong who perpetrated the crime against Rosalie, and because Billy is still a miner; if he had been caught the act would have been lumped into the juvenile crime grouping. It would have been the first time his face would have been attached to any kind of science. Only after years of suffering and hardening could—the lack-lusterless face of an angry mug-shot—have been trapped to back up any data at all. At least as a juvenile there may have been an implied correlation found between education and crime in the area. But as it is what it is, this crime is summed up as “unsolved crime against property.” If little Billy had been caught stealing he might also have received much needed medical attention; publicly paid for incarceration and medical attention yes, but medical attention nonetheless. Attention needed for the infected and reddening wound to his leg. As it is what it is, swept by fever, he sits on the couch where he’s slept each night for the sum of sixteen years. Now Billy Strong becomes 20 percent multiplied by 16—16 now representing the trivial sum totaling his total life.
Meanwhile, Trevor, enjoying the safety of Eric’s absence despite Sara’s and Rosalie’s continued shunning of him, begins to excel in school. He thinks seldom of Billy but often of Eric. He focuses on school and his after school activities with a reoccurring mantra: “I’m not a bully.” Trevor, with able, good parents, may graduate with the top of his class along with Rosalie and get into college. Researcher will accredit Trevor’s excellence to a strong family structure, likewise, his “strong family structure,” accredits their own success to their “strong family structure.” Thus we assume the positive importance of having stability in the students house as an absolute truism. But this needs to be explained as a feeling not a number-range. We should see this, in at least avatar form, on each numeric page of positive outcome statistics.
We Know Better
According to the same scientists, we can assume that Kayla, Sara’s middle school baby, born to a single mother who will work full time, will be a new one in five. This, unfortunately, is most likely according to the faceless, statistically data. Still as an infant, 20 percent is now what is meant by the name Kayla. We all want this cycle broken but no one wants to break it. We can see where the school system prevails and we see where it fails. The numbers have been calculated into the ground. It is known that youth in America have a million reasons why they may never become functionally literate, and we know that 12, million children in our school system go hungry at times. We know the damage is lasting and enhanced with age. The problem is too simple not to see. It’s harder to over complicate and to blindly dispute than it is to be aware of the reality before us. Yet it is often disputed and reality is often ignored. The topics are so utterly researched that the data is everywhere and the answers within reach. However, until we see the faces of the children who suffer, opinions like those of Robert Rector and Delyn Matthews will be disseminated en mas while those names listed below as mere citations will remain deep within the furthest academic recesses. Until this is changed somehow there will be no light for those who need it most.
We cannot invade the child’s life, as a child, to place their real-time image on the cover page of each and every research report into the social science fields concerning poverty, childhood hunger, and most importantly, illiteracy; but we could use animated avatars, or we could pick from thousands of adult people who would likely trade a picture of themselves as an innocent kid for no more than a sandwich. For we have millions of homeless people on the streets or collecting money from welfare that adds up to trillions being spent on the “cure” rather than for the “prevention.” These are people who may lend a photo, or the rights to one, for this cause. As well, we have the biggest population in the world of school drop-outs housed in prisons who might love their childhood pictures used for this cause. Many exports agree with the above argument, many critic’s opinions oppose it. To conclude the last expert used agrees but never had the chance to boom these words to be quoted below. Symbolic of the words not read by those who are unable to read, are the words not spoken by one not allowed to speak. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was actually shot dead in front of his wife and millions of waiting Americans while on his way to share these words with the Dallas Citizens Council, members of the Dallas Assembly, and the Graduate Research Center of the Southwest:
Finally, it should be clear by now that a nation can be no stronger abroad than she is at home. Only an America which practices what it preaches about equal rights and social justice will be respected by those whose choice affects our future. Only, an America which has fully educated its citizens is fully capable of tackling the complex problems and perceiving the hidden dangers of the world in which we live. (The Unspoken Speech of J.F.K.)
We cannot invade the child’s life, as a child, to place their real-time image on the cover page of each and every research report into the social science fields concerning poverty, childhood hunger, and most importantly, illiteracy; but we could use animated avatars, or we could pick from thousands of adult people who would likely trade a picture of themselves as an innocent kid for no more than a sandwich. For we have millions of homeless people on the streets or collecting money from welfare that adds up to trillions being spent on the “cure” rather than for the “prevention.” These are people who may lend a photo, or the rights to one, for this cause. As well, we have the biggest population in the world of school drop-outs housed in prisons who might love their childhood pictures used for this cause. Many exports agree with the above argument, many critic’s opinions oppose it. To conclude the last expert used agrees but never had the chance to boom these words to be quoted below. Symbolic of the words not read by those who are unable to read, are the words not spoken by one not allowed to speak. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was actually shot dead in front of his wife and millions of waiting Americans while on his way to share these words with the Dallas Citizens Council, members of the Dallas Assembly, and the Graduate Research Center of the Southwest:
Finally, it should be clear by now that a nation can be no stronger abroad than she is at home. Only an America which practices what it preaches about equal rights and social justice will be respected by those whose choice affects our future. Only, an America which has fully educated its citizens is fully capable of tackling the complex problems and perceiving the hidden dangers of the world in which we live. (The Unspoken Speech of J.F.K.)
Actual Science
Works Cited and supporting data used.
Bishop, Meredith. "Why Johnny's Dad Can't Read." Policy Review 55 (1991): 19. Academic Search Premier. Web. 9 Oct. 2015.
Bill Winter, Fighting for Equal Opportunities: Perkins’ trailblazing Kim Charlson makes history again as first woman presedent of the American Council of the Blind. Publication, Braille Forum, Vol. 53 Issue 8, p28-32 Feb 2015, Oct 5 2015
Bright, Charlotte Lyn; Jonson-Reid, Melissa. American Journal of Public Health. Multiple Service System Involvement and Later Offending Behavior: Implications for Prevention and Early Intervention. Jul2015, Vol. 105 Issue 7, p1358-1364. 7p. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302508. Oct 20 2015
Caroline Overington, When Only a Man will Do, publication, Australian Women’s Weekly, Vol.84 Issue 10, p50-52 Oct 2014, Oct 5 2015
Dylan Matthews, Argument against Equality. Web,VOX.COM
Janet L. Yellen, Important Question about Income and Wealth, Publication, Vital Speeches of the Day. Volume 80, p383-384 Dec 2014, Oct 6th 2015
Joseph R, Jones. R. Augustine, Murphy Sharon. Creating An Anti-Bullying Culture In Secondary Schools: American Secondary Education, 00031003, Summer2015, Vol. 43, Issue 3 Oct 20 2015
John D. Haltigan and Glenn I. Roisman, Infant Attachment Insecurity and Dissociative Symptomatology finings from the Niche Study of Early Child care and Youth Development. Publication Infant Mental Health Journal Volume 36 Issue 1 p34-39 Feb 2015, Oct 10 2015
Mark R. Reiff, Theory and Research in Education. Publication, The Author(s) Volume 12(1) p4 2014, Oct 6th 2015
Martha Stout, The Sociopath Next door, Harmony; March 14 2006, Oct 20 2015
Peter Edeman, Why Is It So Hard to End Poverty in America? Publication, Human Rights, Volume 40 Issue 3 p3 Aug 2004, Oct 7th 2015
Radloff, Timothy D. Levenyan, College students’ perceptions of equal opportunity for African Americans and race-based policy: Do diversity course requirements make a deference? Publication, College Student Journal, part B, Vol.44 Issue 2, p558 June 2010, Oct 5 2015
Sei-Young Lee, Stephanie M. Benson, Sacha M. Klein, Todd M. Franke, Accessing quality early care and education for children in child welfare: Stakeholders' perspectives on barriers and opportunities for interagency collaboration Original Research Article Children and Youth Services Review, Volume 55, August 2015, Pages 170-181