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Illiteracy
Approximately 30 million American adults cannot write or read, and they can only do at most third-grade level mathematics (The Share Team). This statistic demonstrates the extent of the problem of illiteracy in the country. This paper argues that low literacy rates in America is a serious problem since it contributes to many other problems, such as crime and economic and financial losses, and it can be addressed through the poor and members of minority groups receiving more education help.
The problem of low illiteracy affects every realm of American society. For instance, The National Bureau of Economic Research argues that uneducated individuals give birth to children who have a 72 likelihood of having the lowest reading levels (The Share Team). This statistic demonstrates that illiteracy is not only a problem today but will continue haunting the country in the future. At the same time, low literacy levels are a significant contributor to the problem of crime, which is very prevalent in the country. On this note, a report titled Rand Report: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Correctional Education states that 75% of inmates in state prisons do not have a high school diploma, which means that they fall in the low literacy group (The Share Team). This report demonstrates that low literacy is a significant cause of crime and delinquency. Besides, low literacy results in financial losses for the country. Uneducated people do not make significant contributions to the economy, for example, when it comes to paying taxes.
Addressing the issue of low literacy in the country can only be addressed using a multi-faceted approach. In America, low literacy is a justice issue (The Share Team). This means that much has happened in the past that may explain why certain groups of Americans have high illiteracy levels, for example, when it comes to racial and gender inequalities. As such, children from minority groups must be helped to enroll and stay in school. These children are likely to be raised by poor parents who have trouble providing quality food and other basic needs the former deserve. Also, more higher education opportunities should be availed to members of the minority races and poor Americans in general. This may happen through more education grants to this group of people.
In conclusion, America has a significant proportion of uneducated people despite it being the world’s largest economy. This paper has demonstrated that relatively high literacy levels in the country is a significant problem that needs to be addressed. Besides, this paper recommends the adoption of measures aimed at ensuring that the poor and people from minority races are helped to enroll and remain in school and access more opportunities for advancing their levels of education.
Works Cited
The Share Team. “Crisis Point: The State of Literacy in America.” Resilient Educator, n. d., https://resilienteducator.com/news/illiteracy-in-america/. Accessed on April 21, 2020.