Literacy Now, Together

E1: Literacy Betrayal — Could Greed Harm Children’s Futures?

March 31, 2025

We are excited to bring you a new mini-series called "Literacy Now, Together." We've teamed up with FULCRUM’s Kareem Weaver to interview parents, literacy experts, and thought leaders to examine the literacy crisis and highlight the steps people are taking to improve literacy rates across the country. In this episode, we meet Jackie and Lawrence from Niagara Falls, New York, who have two children with IEPs. Although their eight-year-old daughter, who has dyslexia and dysgraphia, showed signs of reading difficulties in kindergarten, these were initially misinterpreted as behavioral issues. The school offered intervention in first grade through the Reading Recovery program, a program broadly criticized for using debunked instructional methods and having poor reading outcomes. The approach proved detrimental, leading to heightened anxiety and emotional distress for their daughter. Despite the parents' requests to stop the program, the school insisted on continuing, which left their daughter in a challenging emotional and psychological state. Jackie and Lawrence describe how their advocacy journey began with their daughter’s struggles but expanded into broader community action. They formed a PTA and built connections with other parents facing similar challenges, creating a support network to push for better literacy instruction. They share their frustration with a school system that blames children and parents for poor performance, despite the district being the lowest-performing in the county. When asked why it is essential for their daughter to learn to read, Jackie and Lawrence give a heart-wrenching answer about the incredibly difficult choices they have to make to support their children's educational needs, forcing them to figure out for themselves what the school should have done but failed to do. The couple underscores the far-reaching consequences of inadequate reading instruction, linking it to poverty, limited job opportunities, crime, teen pregnancy, and systemic inequities. Their advice to other parents is practical and empowering: trust your instincts, educate yourself on learning disabilities and dyslexia, and connect with organizations and resources in your community. Their story is a call to action, demonstrating the importance of persistence, self-education, and community advocacy in navigating a flawed educational system.

Watch: YouTube

Listen: Spotify