Dr. Samuel L. Blumenfeld Dr. Samuel L. Blumenfeld WND Exclusive Commentary College illiteracy
stuns educators
Posted: January 12, 2006
1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

Stunned, shocked and appalled are American educators as they study the recent report from the National Center of Education Statistics, which reveals that only 31 percent of college graduates can read a complex book and extrapolate from it. "It's really astounding," said Michael Gorman, president of the American Library Association. "That's not saying much for the remainder," he added, meaning that 69 percent of our college graduates cannot read at or above a "proficient" level.

Absolutely appalled by the results of the survey was Mark S. Schneider, commissioner of education statistics, who remarked, "The declining impact of education on our adult population was the biggest surprise for us, and we just don't have a good explanation. What's disturbing is that the assessment is not designed to test your understanding of Proust, but to test your ability to read labels."

The Boston Globe (Dec. 26, 2005) explained that the test measured how well adults handled basic reading tasks – such as figuring out costs per ounce of food items, comparing viewpoints on two editorials, and reading prescription labels. Of graduate students tested in 2003, 41 percent were classified as "proficient" in prose – able to read and understand information in short texts – down 10 percent since 1992. As for college graduates, only 31 percent were classified as proficient – compared with 40 percent in 1992. The results were based on a sample of more than 19,000 individuals 16 or older, who were interviewed in their homes. They were asked to read prose, do math, and find facts in documents.

Of course, this writer predicted the decline of literacy in America in my first book on the subject, "The New Illiterates," published in 1973. In that book, I analyzed the methods of teaching reading in our schools and concluded that children subjected to the prevalent whole-word or look-say method would become reading disabled.

I had also discovered that this teaching method was invented by the Rev. Thomas H. Gallaudet back in 1830s as a means of teaching the deaf to read at his school in Hartford. He believed that this method could be adapted for use by normal children. And so, it was tried experimentally in the primary schools of Boston in the early 1840s, and the result was massive reading failure. The deaf-teaching method was thrown out of the schools, but was brought back by the progressive educators at the turn of the last century as a means of dumbing down the American people so that they could be easily led to accept socialism as a new way of life.

After confirming the damaging effects of look-say, I created an easy-to-use phonetic reading program for parents so they could teach their children to read at home and avoid the misery and frustration that the public schools were inflicting on millions of children. Thousands of parents took advantage of the program and have had great success in producing highly literate children.

In other words, my work and the work of the Reading Reform Foundation, which advocated a return to phonics in the schools, were available to educators for over 30 years. And, of course, I was not the first to draw attention to the reading problem. Today's educators, in their self-induced amnesia, forget that Rudolf Flesch wrote his famous book, "Why Johnny Can't Read" in 1955, a half-century ago! He explained what the problem was and told them how to cure it.

Thus, when educators tell us "we just don't have a good explanation," they are lying through their teeth. Not only are they aware of the teaching methods debate, but they do all in their power to keep intensive, systematic phonics out of the schools. And they shamelessly continue to be "puzzled" by the decline of literacy in America.

Having been on the front lines of the "reading war" since 1973, I can state categorically that we are dealing with a liberal-socialist teaching establishment that has its own social and political agenda that it has imposed on public education. Everyone knows that the public schools have been in the hands of the liberal left since the 1930s, and that the politically powerful National Education Association has a radical leftist agenda, which it promotes among teachers and teachers of teachers. The school curriculum, the teaching methods, the philosophy of education they promote is the cause of our literacy decline. And there is no one in state or federal government capable of doing anything about it.

That is why the homeschool movement continues to grow. More and more parents have come to the realization that the public schools are controlled by those who want to impose their social philosophy over the entire nation. It is now called "political correctness," and it permeates every aspect of our lives.

The need for educational freedom is now greater than ever. A free society cannot survive without it. If you would like to help teach your own children to read at home, you can get my reading program by e-mailing me. And if you would like to join the movement for educational freedom, contact the Alliance for the Separation of School and State.



Dr. Samuel L. Blumenfeld is the author of eight books on education, including: "Is Public Education Necessary?" "NEA: Trojan Horse in American Education," "The Whole Language/OBE Fraud" and "Homeschooling: A Parents Guide to Teaching Children." His books are available on Amazon.com. Back issues of his incisive newsletter, The Blumenfeld Education Letter, are available onlin

Canada is JUST as discusting.

Thank goodness we had the guts to homescholar our kids.

is supposed to have a show on the "dumbing down". We'll see.

Considering 1/3 of the adult population as a whole is functionally illiterate anyway.

you forgot Europe and every place that has adopted the same "education" plan.

Here is the actual government study;
http://nces.ed.gov/NAAL/PDF/2006470_1.PDF

Hello everyone...haven't been able to talk for awhile.....looked in briefly every so often......must make my little statement as to this particular thread.

JTG has probably UNDERSTATED the problems with public education in the US. The current political manisfestations are ugly. The fact that the average American adult reads less than one book per year is putrid. Our homeschoolers read 20 or more books per week! I'm reading a recent book by Jimmy Carter who I (probabley mistakenly) did not vote for in the seventies (thinking that Republicans reduced tax burden...prior to Reagan, Bush I, and BushII who increased the cost of government more than all other presidents combined) which points out the abominable status of governmental morality in the current administration, but I am not so putrified as to the administratin as I am as to the general public of the US who holds the ultimate responsibility. The gd morons who are not correcting the situation via the voting booth or otherwise hold the entire ownership of this mess we live in. As I have said repeatedly, "Freedom is not a priveledge granted, but a responsibility held".

When less than half of advanced degree graduates, have reasonable ability to read.....how the he**ll many people in this country have any ability to THINK?

Carter's book could have been titled "The American Taliban"!!!!!!!

I origionally joined this group thinking that education (indoctrination) was part of the problem, but now am convinced that it is nothing but one one of the symptoms. Sin and sex are now defined as the same word. Economic sin does not exist, according to those in control, and those blind ignorant sheep who are the average american (doesn't warrent capitalization). "In od We Trust" ironically means: "We worship the Dollar". Education is a farce......the American people [in the majority] have no guts, no backbone, no morality, and no ability to think. If they did, schooling would be the least of our problems.

The axis*of*evil is in fact "BUREAUCRACY" to which americans [doesn't justify capitalization] have totally sucommed out of fear of thinking for themselves, including the bureaucracy of government (sub-including education), the bureaucracy of church, the bureaucracy of economics, the bureaucay of [so-called] law, the bureaucracy of a sicknees maintenance system instead of am attitude and behavior that supports the maintenance of bodily health, and the net result which is the simple fact that we do not solve problems amoung ourselves and our neighbors, we forego a relationship with God for a relationship with church, we do not produce those things that we need for the support of life, we feed extortionalte lawyers instead of holding justice amoung ourselves, and "healthcare" costs compound at double digit rates while we rapidly deline as to our ability to stay alive.
All of this feeds the growing bureaucracy of terrorism because a super power that is immoral and inconsiderate and selfrighteous and incapable of holding the responsibility of freedom will attract such feedback.
If our advanced degree colledge graduates cannot even read, what should we expect?

Bureaucracy is technologically obsolite.

Want solutions?

Microproduction. Direct and respectfull interface with neighbors near and far. Christ would approve and this ancient old engineer would approve; what the he**ll else whould you want?

Csrter's book is worth reading. Freedom is worth reclaiming. Learning is an art entirely devoid of education. Peace. Bruce.

Took 4 tries to enter privious post and stiil c onfused as to how it didn't and then did happen???????????

Hi Bruce, glad you're back

The "Please enter the text in the above image", caught me offguard when the board owners first came up with that gem. I have a small laptop and usually don't need to wear reading glasses .

You forgot self~serving bureaucracies The dumbing down process is backfiring, Spartacus's article is only a small (tidbit) of what's happening. Not just in North America , it's a worldwide pandemic, and I'm not talking "Bird Flu", or "Mad Cow". The workerbees are becoming so dumb they can't work. WHAT WILL the bureaucrat/elitists DO now, who will FEED them.

Kiddo was telling me today about the kooks she works with, not a thinking brain left between their ears and they're twice her age I betcha they did very well in "school" eh

DS2 (22 year old) phoned tonight complaining he can't find people who are mentally able to learn machining, they upped the starting wage (no experience) from $8/hr to $12, talking $14 this year, for mostly dingalings. He'd do better by hiring his little sis but she isn't interested in becoming a machinist . Maybe he could beg LOL

DS1 told his dad that he's thinking of stealing a fellow (Bob) fromP.E.I that was his lead hand with the company he worked for, he's good, which is rare. Maybe Bob was a homescholar as well. Education isn't an issue , it's thinking skillsand the ability to learn.

Sorry Bruce I'm chuckling with what I'm writing here, but you know me , so it's all good

There's a lot of Microproduction popping up in our communties Bruce. I noticed more signs
at the end of peoples' driveways than ever before. I sure hope our county doesn't do what many counties do and start TAXING the little guys. When we traveled through the northern States there were lots of shingles advertising services/products . Canucks are catchin on

You wrote; "Freedom is worth reclaiming. Learning is an art entirely devoid of education." Love~it Bruce, thanks for remembering to come here and visit us

Have to scoot and put another log on the fire. I guess we don't get 20/20 anymore, used to see the program on tv here. Oh well , hopefully I can catch it on their website tomorrow .

Bobby aka Oma in Canuckland
Oiy code for this post is NPBK ((sigh))

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Replying to:

Hello everyone...haven't been able to talk for awhile.....looked in briefly every so often......must make my little statement as to this particular thread.

JTG has probably UNDERSTATED the problems with public education in the US. The current political manisfestations are ugly. The fact that the average American adult reads less than one book per year is putrid. Our homeschoolers read 20 or more books per week! I'm reading a recent book by Jimmy Carter who I (probabley mistakenly) did not vote for in the seventies (thinking that Republicans reduced tax burden...prior to Reagan, Bush I, and BushII who increased the cost of government more than all other presidents combined) which points out the abominable status of governmental morality in the current administration, but I am not so putrified as to the administratin as I am as to the general public of the US who holds the ultimate responsibility. The gd morons who are not correcting the situation via the voting booth or otherwise hold the entire ownership of this mess we live in. As I have said repeatedly, "Freedom is not a priveledge granted, but a responsibility held".

When less than half of advanced degree graduates, have reasonable ability to read.....how the he**ll many people in this country have any ability to THINK?

Carter's book could have been titled "The American Taliban"!!!!!!!

I origionally joined this group thinking that education (indoctrination) was part of the problem, but now am convinced that it is nothing but one one of the symptoms. Sin and sex are now defined as the same word. Economic sin does not exist, according to those in control, and those blind ignorant sheep who are the average american (doesn't warrent capitalization). "In od We Trust" ironically means: "We worship the Dollar". Education is a farce......the American people [in the majority] have no guts, no backbone, no morality, and no ability to think. If they did, schooling would be the least of our problems.

The axis*of*evil is in fact "BUREAUCRACY" to which americans [doesn't justify capitalization] have totally sucommed out of fear of thinking for themselves, including the bureaucracy of government (sub-including education), the bureaucracy of church, the bureaucracy of economics, the bureaucay of [so-called] law, the bureaucracy of a sicknees maintenance system instead of am attitude and behavior that supports the maintenance of bodily health, and the net result which is the simple fact that we do not solve problems amoung ourselves and our neighbors, we forego a relationship with God for a relationship with church, we do not produce those things that we need for the support of life, we feed extortionalte lawyers instead of holding justice amoung ourselves, and "healthcare" costs compound at double digit rates while we rapidly deline as to our ability to stay alive.
All of this feeds the growing bureaucracy of terrorism because a super power that is immoral and inconsiderate and selfrighteous and incapable of holding the responsibility of freedom will attract such feedback.
If our advanced degree colledge graduates cannot even read, what should we expect?

Bureaucracy is technologically obsolite.

Want solutions?

Microproduction. Direct and respectfull interface with neighbors near and far. Christ would approve and this ancient old engineer would approve; what the he**ll else whould you want?

Csrter's book is worth reading. Freedom is worth reclaiming. Learning is an art entirely devoid of education. Peace. Bruce.