Nearly half of Detroiters can't read.

**oladub** · May-04-11, 07:30 PM

WWJ is reporting that nearly half of Detroiters can't read or at least they are "functionally illiterate". 34 percent in Pontiac and 24 percent in Southfield resident are also functionally illiterate. It is difficult to attract industry that needs a well educated workforce with that being the case.
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2011/05/...ers-cant-read/

**tetsua** · May-04-11, 08:22 PM

Folks from Dyes would comment on this post .... if they could read it

**Meddle** · May-05-11, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by tetsua

Folks from Dyes would comment on this post .... if they could read it

From the way people post on this and other boards, I'd say the numbers are even higher. And then they get all snotty and throw a temper tantrum when you call them on it.

I say outlaw ChatSpeak!!!

**Danny** · May-05-11, 01:51 PM

uneducated fools from uneducated schools!

No thanks to failing Detroit Public Schools and more educational cuts, the flow of crack and other drugs and lack of educational agencies. Metro-Detroit will never change until the people start thinking about hope, faith and grace and what freedom means to them.

**Locke09** · May-05-11, 02:34 PM

With the latest census just being done last year, and results published this year, it's hard to believe that another assessment has already been done. If it has, it has not been made readily available on any website yet. And if it uses the same methodology as before, it is still just a prediction.

**maxx** · May-05-11, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

From the way people post on this and other boards, I'd say the numbers are even higher. And then they get all snotty and throw a temper tantrum when you call them on it.

I say outlaw ChatSpeak!!!

Ys. Txtng jst maks it wrse.

firstandten:
As soon as a child can read about a hundred words, s/he can start to read about science and history. They have to read something so their reading doesn't have to all be fiction. Elementary students in the USSR used to read Tolstoy's stories.

**firstandten** · May-05-11, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by maxx

firstandten:
As soon as a child can read about a hundred words, s/he can start to read about science and history. They have to read something so their reading doesn't have to all be fiction. Elementary students in the USSR used to read Tolstoy's stories.

Good point ! thinking back if I had to read all fiction rather than the non-fiction and bilbliographies that I liked to read I might have had some different outcomes.

**Crumbled_pavement** · May-04-11, 08:29 PM

What is this you are writing oladub? I can't read it. *grumbles under breath... probably something about how Detroiters can't read*

**skyl4rk** · May-04-11, 10:20 PM

no pix no comprehende

**rhythmc** · May-04-11, 11:03 PM

The unfortunate impact of social promotion. However, if there is population growth in the form of educated residents, that percentage will drop.

**313WX** · May-04-11, 11:23 PM

Originally Posted by rhythmc

However, if there is population growth in the form of educated residents, that percentage will drop.

But why would educated residents want to live amongst relatively uneducated residents?

**rjk** · May-05-11, 04:13 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

But why would educated residents want to live amongst relatively uneducated residents?

It's kind of like a good looking woman hanging out with an unattractive woman. You look better if you surround yourself with people of a lower standard.
That could be a selling point to get people to move here. Come to Detroit where you'll be viewed as being smarter than you actually are. The one eyed King?

Actaully I wonder how many of those people use English as a second language. A person could be educated and just not grasp the English language yet. I'm not saying it accounts for anywhere close to the 50%, but only some of it. Years ago I worked with a literacy group teaching people how to read and almost all the people spoke English as a second language.

**hamtown mike** · May-05-11, 01:01 PM

wow. that's like listening to John Madden announce a football game. "There's a pretty good chance that the team that scores the most points is going to be the team that wins."

I've always thought the posts on DYES need more pictures.

9mile&seneca · May-05-11, 04:43 AM

All they need to know how to do is pull that voting lever. Maybe they can just put a picture of a donkey on there.

**guito13** · May-05-11, 08:58 AM

This is scary. I read these forums a lot and most of the people are complaining about tearing down buildings, mass transit, etc. when this issue is MUCH more vital to the city. Without an educated population we will go nowhere. It comes down to the parents being parents, getting their kids an education and setting a good example themselves. Until we have this, the other "issues" should be put on the back burner.

**mwilbert** · May-05-11, 09:09 AM

This is scary. I read these forums a lot and most of the people are complaining about tearing down buildings, mass transit, etc. when this issue is MUCH more vital to the city. Without an educated population we will go nowhere. It comes down to the parents being parents, getting their kids an education and setting a good example themselves. Until we have this, the other "issues" should be put on the back burner.

No. Certainly it is true that figuring out how to do a better job of educating kids is very important, but there isn't any reason why making Detroit better in other ways should interfere with that. There are lots of things that are important, but you can't only pay attention to one at a time. And of course, one big motivation for kids to learn is that by doing so they could have a better future, but it is hard to see that future in a city with no jobs or amenities. Frankly, that is probably a motivation for the parents as well--if they don't think their kids have a future, or at least not one that is going to be affected by education, why should they work at it?

**Zozo** · May-05-11, 09:21 AM

DPS is a complete failure.

**tetsua** · May-05-11, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by Zozo

DPS is a complete failure.

I don't think DPS should take all the blame, I knew how to read long before I got into DPS. There are so many parents in Detroit that have a complete hands off approach when it comes to education, and that's hurting folks.

**guito13** · May-05-11, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by tetsua

I don't think DPS should take all the blame, I knew how to read long before I got into DPS. There are so many parents in Detroit that have a complete hands off approach when it comes to education, and that's hurting folks.

Thank you!

My kids have been reading since age 2. They started school reading at a 2nd grade level. This is what parents need to do. Yes, I know we pay our taxes for education but that simply isnt enough today. We also need to change the way the schools work so that the good teachers are retained and the "not so good" ones are are able to be removed [[unions be damned).

**HistoryNotHisStory** · May-06-11, 07:55 AM

Originally Posted by guito13

Thank you!

My kids have been reading since age 2. They started school reading at a 2nd grade level. This is what parents need to do. Yes, I know we pay our taxes for education but that simply isnt enough today. We also need to change the way the schools work so that the good teachers are retained and the "not so good" ones are are able to be removed [[unions be damned).

Thank God for good parents...
However, ther are so many parent in urban American that do not make their children education a priority. Therefore, the high rates of illiteracy. Good Teachers cannot make good students. Students with socio-economic issues have problems focusing on education.

Remember when Rob Bobb ask for volunteers for the DPS. The volunteers noticed the same thing I noticed when trying to tutor students with difficulities. The problems with these students are not their brain capacity, but the problems in their lives. For example, you cannot expect a child to focus on the multiplication table if their mother is selling her body or other when a child experience things that you cannot imagine.

For more than twenty years of turoring, I can duly inform you that when their is problems in the home that the grades drop. It has nothing to do with tutors or students, but with uncanny problems at home.

**guito13** · May-05-11, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by mwilbert

No. Certainly it is true that figuring out how to do a better job of educating kids is very important, but there isn't any reason why making Detroit better in other ways should interfere with that. There are lots of things that are important, but you can't only pay attention to one at a time. And of course, one big motivation for kids to learn is that by doing so they could have a better future, but it is hard to see that future in a city with no jobs or amenities. Frankly, that is probably a motivation for the parents as well--if they don't think their kids have a future, or at least not one that is going to be affected by education, why should they work at it?

Every population has a fixed amount of resources, I think we should use those resources to educate over pretty much anything else. Using those resources in other areas takes away from other areas, in this case education the children.

There ARE jobs in the city [[I have one of them) but a lot of them require an EDUCATION and if parents are unable to see that and convey that message to their kids then they are not doing their job!

Perhaps if the schools in the city proper were decent, the people who have those good jobs in the city would want to live IN the city opposed to where they currently live?

**old guy** · May-05-11, 09:38 AM

I've seen some statistics recently that say as many as 55% of American adults are functionally illiterate. I'd like to be proven wrong on that number. It was from a 2006 survey. I find it hard to believe and am trying to find the sources I'm quoting.

Buy American · May-05-11, 09:38 AM

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteers be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

9mile&seneca · May-05-11, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Buy American

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteers be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Good one!