I some places yes it is worse. A lot of it is non-english speaking immigrants. I’ve read that only 40% of the adults in Miami can read and write english. But I would guess another 40% can read and write spanish.

In Detroit the literacy rate is 20-30% and most of them had English as a first language.

In Minnesota where I live the literacy rate is over 80%, so in some places it’s much better.

There are large segments of American culture that put little value on reading and writing. Even in my predominantly white suburban high school, many of the boys thought that reading was a stupid waste of time. Many of my friends back in those days never read anything. I don’t know if they could read well enough to enjoy it. I’d guess many of them couldn’t.

J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books are beginning to turn this around. More American kids are reading today than 20 years ago when I grew up. So there is hope and I am so grateful for her for making reading cool. Even my 13 year old neighbor kid, who thinks school is stupid read the latest Harry Potter book. He has a lot of influence over the other boys in the neighborhood and now every boy around here has read a Harry Potter book.

The key to literacy is building a love of language at a young age. That is missing in a large percentage of homes and the schools can’t fix it if families don’t value literacy.

Actually I believe the schools are half to blame as well… kids learn to hate reading in school because of the way it is taught… but that’s for another post.

AD

Thanks for the link love, but more importantly, thanks for this great resource. You frequently have links to information about issues worthy of people’s time and attention, so – on behalf of the human race – I thank you!

LifeRemix is one – am a constant reader for some time.
The photographers right. I just bought a digital camera and I like to snap everything in a shot. Not to mention that in two days I am leaving for a 12 days vacation in Spain, so lots of food to picture.

Thanks.