Reading is a Lifeline for Black Students

I was listening the other day about the test scores of children in China. They were higher than anything in America and around the world. People here are worried that Asian kids will dominate the business world in the coming decades and that America's kids won't be able to compete and sustain. I agree with that concensus however; there is more to it than that. What about Black kids? If America is worried that White kids are falling behind and won't be competing on a global scale, what about the kids who are behind now? If Black kids are not reading they certainly are not excelling in the math, science, and technical areas. If you are not smart enough to understand what this scenerio means for the future of our kids, something is wrong.

What the Reading Room is About and Why You Need To Know

The Reading Room is going to deal with the situation surrounding Black children and their reading level. Recent surveys have shown that only 12 percent of Black kids can comprehend reading and math on a level that will enable them to compete in the emerging workplace. Twelve percent. Compare that to 48 percent for Latinos, 80 percent for Whites and 90's for Asians.

If this situation is not dealt with, Black people will be shut out of the future workplace not to mention the emerging technolgical advances. When our kids can repeat every word of some rap song, but our seniors are graduating and can't read on a senior level, someone's priorities are all wrong.

We have to stop blaming the teachers, the schools, the government, and anyone else we can point a finger at. If your child comes home without any school books and you don't question it, who's fault is that? If your child spends all his or her time watching television or listening to music who's fault is that? I think you know.