Free Essays on Illiteracy

The Problems of Illiteracy Illiteracy affects about forty-two million adults in the United States. Jonathan Kozol was so concerned over this matter that he wrote a book published in 1985 entitled, Illiterate America. In his book, he claims that people in power support illiteracy because it keeps them in power. He supports his claim by stating that nothing is done to educate illiterate people. It is true that there are few public programs that seek out and attempt to teach the illiterate to read. Many illiterate people, as Kozol points out, rely heavily on what others tell them. They put all of their faith into people that deceive and lie to them. However, there is little that responsible, caring, average citizens can do to help illiterate people with their struggles. There is no evidence that people in power are deliberately keeping the illiterate the way they are. Of course, it may seem that way. There are no social programs that are government sponsored providing free education to illiterate adults, and the issue of illiteracy is not a regular topic of discussion around election time. But Kozol never gives any clear answer as to what benefits people in power do reap by keeping illiterate people illiterate. Powerful people cannot benefit from the fact that illiterate people buy the wrong item sometimes, which is the topic of a lengthy paragraph in his essay. Kozol claims that â€Å"[i]f even one third of all illiterates could vote, and read enough and do sufficient math to vote in their self-interest, Ronald Reagan would not likely have been chosen president† (115). There is no way to predict what may have happened. There is also no premeditated policy of Congress to refuse any proposal of an education program. Responsibility doe s not lie with citizens in a democratic society to educate the illiterate. It is not the duty of an American to seek out illiterate people. In a perfect society, people would take action; and... Free Essays on Illiteracy Free Essays on Illiteracy The Problems of Illiteracy Illiteracy affects about forty-two million adults in the United States. Jonathan Kozol was so concerned over this matter that he wrote a book published in 1985 entitled, Illiterate America. In his book, he claims that people in power support illiteracy because it keeps them in power. He supports his claim by stating that nothing is done to educate illiterate people. It is true that there are few public programs that seek out and attempt to teach the illiterate to read. Many illiterate people, as Kozol points out, rely heavily on what others tell them. They put all of their faith into people that deceive and lie to them. However, there is little that responsible, caring, average citizens can do to help illiterate people with their struggles. There is no evidence that people in power are deliberately keeping the illiterate the way they are. Of course, it may seem that way. There are no social programs that are government sponsored providing free education to illiterate adults, and the issue of illiteracy is not a regular topic of discussion around election time. But Kozol never gives any clear answer as to what benefits people in power do reap by keeping illiterate people illiterate. Powerful people cannot benefit from the fact that illiterate people buy the wrong item sometimes, which is the topic of a lengthy paragraph in his essay. Kozol claims that â€Å"[i]f even one third of all illiterates could vote, and read enough and do sufficient math to vote in their self-interest, Ronald Reagan would not likely have been chosen president† (115). There is no way to predict what may have happened. There is also no premeditated policy of Congress to refuse any proposal of an education program. Responsibility doe s not lie with citizens in a democratic society to educate the illiterate. It is not the duty of an American to seek out illiterate people. In a perfect society, people would take action; and... Free Essays on Illiteracy Eradicating Illiteracy in Our School Literacy is the best indication of a country’s educational status and education is the best path to a country’s prosperity. If this is the case then why does the most affluent and technologically advanced country in the world has a reading problem? The United States has millions of citizens who cannot even read the simple instructions on a can of soup. In a country where education is provided to everyone at no cost how do we end up with so many people who cannot read? How do we break the cycle of illiteracy so that all children have an equal opportunity to succeed in the world? In this paper I will discuss the history, causes, and factors of illiteracy and hopefully some achievable solutions to the problem. The United States started it’s commitment to literacy back in the 18th century when reading and writing were taught to all soldiers and military personnel. In the post industrial revolution America, in an attempt to satisfy employer’s need for literate workers, built schools in the more populated areas of the country. Women, minorities, and those people living in less populated areas had the lowest levels of literacy in the country. Eventually as society progressed, the growing rate of functional illiteracy was noticed and steps were taken to combat it. It seems that this was a case of too little too late. â€Å"At the end of the 19th century, the illiteracy rate was less than 3%. Today, up to 50% of Americans are illiterate or only semi-literate†. Money Not the solution to Illiteracy. (2000). Retrieved January 28, 2002, from eagleforum.org/educate/2000/may00/illiteracy.html. How can so many people be illiterate in this day and age of technology where information on virtually anything can be accessed by the touch of a button or the click of a mouse? Many people blame illiteracy on ba...