I love this viral Darius Cooks crying post about Black and Brown literacy in the United States. He is shining a spotlight on something that we all know exists but no one is doing anything to fix.

We know the social media parents don't encourage reading at home. But does that mean we are not all collectively responsible for helping our youth?

I volunteered with a 4th grade class last year and was appalled at the number of Black boys who could not read. Most had some undiagnosed learning disability.

The teachers were just too overwhelmed to stop and help them. I felt so sad and almost wrote a letter to the State Board of Education.

I have so many academic friends and intellectual Black freedom fighters in my circle. They are advocating for the issues that are symptoms not the root of our social issues. More people need to go volunteer 1-2 days/week in an urban 3rd and 4th grade class, tutoring session, or after-school program. Waiting on politicians, parents, or even teachers won't help. Each person needs to volunteer in a school this fall!

I get his sentiment, but I can’t trust that this isn’t some new grift.

Outside of him, it’s sad to see some of these social media posts trying to get people to read simple sentences off of flash cards. Y’all out in public drinking, smoking, etc and can’t read.

has to be a better way than running on social media 2 days in.

and it sounds like he has a history of shady shit.

after VERY publicly calling out his students for being barely literate.

Sadly I can easily believe this isn't a rarity across the country

Seems like this is a collective action problem that you're suggesting can be solved by individual action.

You might be able to help 1 or 2 or 3 or even 7 kids a year - but there's like 8-10 MILLION K-12 African America kids in the U.S. (And they aren't the only ones.)

Surely you don't think it'll make anything except for the smallest dent?

>Waiting on politicians, parents, or even teachers won't help.

You've just gave up on solving it. Don't WAIT on any of these folks - go MAKE them do something. Go be a politician yourself!

Reagan said: "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help." and somehow the left AND the right now believe it.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/general/a-sobbing-darius-cooks-says-his-high-school-seniors-can-t-read-their-school-just-earned-an-a-watch/ar-AA2abWCU


A Former Wheatley Teacher Pushes Back

Williams’ description of his students isn’t going unchallenged.

Former Wheatley English teacher Traci Wade-Tousant, who says she taught many members of the current senior class, disputed the sweeping impression created by his video.

She described them as “some of THE strongest readers and writers Wheatley has seen in a long time” and said students had completed advanced coursework and college-level writing assignments, Atlanta Black Star reported.

I have students in their jr/Sr year dealing with academic struggles and trauma from 3rd and 4th grade.
It's wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time for a big kid to finally get something that should've been accomplished no later than 2nd grade.