60% of African American 8th graders in Baltimore are reading at the most basic level, as measured by analytical tools and statistics from the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES). Only 19% are proficient.
This data is not from 1815, when African Americans were legally restricted from learning how to read. These findings are from 2015.
It’s embarrassing.
It’s inexcusable for so many students in this day and time to not be able to read.
In many cases, a parent, guardian, relative or caring adult can teach a child to read and if they cannot, they can supplement the efforts of the school. I am tired of the excuses.
Every African American owes it to themselves and their ancestors, many of which were killed, maimed, tortured and abused in the most heinous of manners in order to participate in a literate society. This obligation is also necessary for the success of future generations.
What are you personally going to do to eliminate the problem? (Blaming the teacher or the school doesn’t count.) Many of the ancestors learned how to read without a teacher, in secrecy, without differentiated instruction, in abysmal poverty, and with every institution and most people purposed to stop them.
Coolin and Schoolin 