For Those Who Can Read

To be a successful private investigator you must have certain inalienable intellectual and academic tools. Tool #1 is multifaceted, like a Swiss Army knife. We'll call it the "Being Able To Read And Not Drool At The Same Time" tool.

The tool is comprised of the following components. You have to be (1) able to read the letters which form the words. (2) You must be able to comprehend the meaning of the words within the context of their intended use. (3) You must then be able to take that information and relate it to the process of finding a solution to the challenge, which was why you began reading the words to begin with. (4) You must be capable of being analytical in your decision making process, as to whether or not the ideas or facts that the words relate are relevant, and/or useful, in solving your challenge. (5) And lastly, you must be able to have some instinct as to whether or not the words are true or if they are lies or misstatements. There, that’s it!

The following is an excerpt from Vasu, M. L., and Frazier, A. WORKFORCE PREPAREDNESS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: REPORT OF THE 1989 NORTH CAROLINA BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY SURVEY

"The scope of the problem is provided in a study conducted by Vasu and Frazier who reported that in an employer evaluation (N=1,150 employers) of the educational skills of thousands of diverse employees, only 53.9 percent of high school graduates have were found to have adequate reading skills. Other skills were reported to be inadequate: writing (51.8 percent), math (48.2 percent), thinking (40 percent), and communications (51.2 percent).

Defining adult literacy as the possession of such skills as reading, writing, speaking, and computing necessary to function as individuals, family and community members, citizens, and consumers and workers in society, the Wisconsin State Board of Vocational, Technical and Adult Education has attributed the problem to the following factors: (1) the public school dropout rate; (2) the continuing immigration of persons at the functionally illiterate level and; (3) the gradual erosion of basic skills levels through lack of application."

So the question for today is "Why is it that about 80% of high school graduates are functionally illiterate?" Actually it's worse than that if you look over literacy in its entirety.

Well first let's note some widely disseminated lies.

#1 The vast majority of those who attend high school graduate." That's false for those of you who need a true and false test. The figures vary (of course they do because they are manipulated by those with vested interests in the economic consequences of public education) but even by their own estimates only about 70% graduate (about 56% for blacks and 54% for latinos so I guess the whites are higher than that 70%)

Hmmmmm. That must mean that 30% DON'T GRADUATE! So if 80% of the 70% that graduate are functionally illiterate, how many high school graduates can:

#1. Balance a check book
#2. Rationally compare job offers to ascertain which is best for them
#3. Calculate exactly how much it's going to cost over and above the cost of a house, to own one.
#4. Make an informed decision as to who to elect to public office based on political platforms or articles.
#5. Make change of a $5 for a $2 sale without looking at the cash register.
#6. Know even their basic rights as citizens of the United States.
#7. Know how the lawmakers of their state vote on proposed legislation affecting them.
#8. Understand that the reason they can't make a living is not because they are unwilling to work.
#9. Know that the class of society that they belong to works harder for less every year.
#10. Actually care about any of the above.

So exactly how many people comprise the 80% of the 70% who graduate? Well you'd have to look to the National Center for Education Statistics. By the way, the NCES has recently launched a $50 million program of cooperative agreements to help states develop their administrative databases. That’s how important it is to them to prove via statistics that they are doing a good job!!

So the question stands! "Why is it that about 80% of high school graduates are functionally illiterate?" The answer? Same as for every other answer to the problems with our government.........when you screw up, whether it's in the security business or education, you just get promoted to the corner office. Perhaps if someone got fired once in a while it might help, but it's not going to happen. Or perhaps they are not screwing up..perhaps they are doing exactly what government thinks should be done.

If your answer to the question was correct, let me know. I'm looking for a few new investigators.

Happy Reading!