Illiterate America
...tes from childhood. The environments that children are raised in strongly affect their future. The majority of illiterates in America were raised under unstable households or with unstable parents. The government needs to provide struggling families with alternatives that help. On the other hand, state governments need to critically base their concerns on the education of students in elementary school. Obviously, people learn to read in the elementary stage of their lives. Without a proper learning environment in elementary school, kids have a hard time acquiring the basic knowledge of reading that they need. Statistics show that thirty-eight percent of America’s fourth graders cannot read and understand a simple paragraph (Bush and Billington). State Governments need to put firm emphasis on making sure that schools have qualified teachers, useful materials, and facilities that present a sound, learning environment. Also, illiterate people have a tendency to lack in self-confidence, therefore making it hard for these people to fit into society. Illiterates cannot enjoy the things that literate people can. They do not have the convenience of checking their e-mail everyday, or reading the daily newspaper. They will never get to read and appreciate the new and exciting Tom Clancy novel or even understand what is actually happening in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. They can only depend on what they see and hear. As you can see, it is almost impossible to function in America’s society without the knowledge of reading. Once again our country should realize the struggle that illiterates endure and grasp the fact that these Americans need help. Furthermore, illiteracy in America affects this great country as a whole. According to Irwin Isenberg, illiteracy and poverty are linked in a tragic bond. Due to illiterates not functioning in society properly, they are classified as being on the lowest rungs of the economic ladder. This causes these individuals to be unsuccessful in our mechanized, automated economy (Isenberg 3-4). “The Department of Education estimates that sixty percent of the unemployed lack the basic skills necessary to be trained for high tech jobs (Adult Literary Service).” Illiterates fail at maintaining a consistent job therefore classifying them as being a part of the poverty problem in America. In contrast, illiterate people that have jobs cause businesses to have substantial losses. Statistics show that busin...