Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihldt.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!ihnp4!ihldt!stewart From: stewart@ihldt.UUCP (R. J. Stewart) Newsgroups: net.kids,net.politics Subject: Re: School taxes -- [Compulsory education and illiteracy] Message-ID: <2651@ihldt.UUCP> Date: Fri, 14-Dec-84 11:02:08 EST Article-I.D.: ihldt.2651 Posted: Fri Dec 14 11:02:08 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 15-Dec-84 01:36:47 EST References: <3129@alice.UUCP><1860@burdvax.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 29 Xref: watmath net.kids:791 net.politics:6322 >> I don't think that the merits of universal literacy need to >> be brought up -- an end to compulsory education would mean a return >> to the dark ages > A number of educators (John Holt and Raymond Moore among others) > have pointed out that literacy in this country has actually declined > since the advent of "compulsory education/attendance". ... John Adams > said in 1765 that "a native of America, especially of New England, who > cannot read and write is as rare a Phenomenon as a Comet." Some figures on this, from an article in the 12-13-84 edition of the Chicago Tribune: - an estimated 67 million adults in the US are functionally illiterate. [i.e. cannot read and write well enough to get through everyday life. This means they cannot read a newspaper or the signs identifying the express checkout at the grocery store.] - The ranks of the illiterate are growing at about 2.25 million annually. - They referred to a report published recently in U.S. News and World Report estimating that by the year 2000, 2 out of every 3 Americans will be functionally illiterate. [!!] Make of these what you will. Bob Stewart ihldt!stewart