The Literacy Crisis Is Real and Must Not Be Ignored
Response to “There Is No Literacy Crisis In the U.S.” Washington Post Opinion by Paul Thomas
By Kareem Weaver
August 8, 2025
Professor Paul Thomas recently claimed the U.S. literacy crisis is exaggerated, suggesting it's more a matter of semantics and equity than a wholescale issue. After traveling the country, working alongside schools, organizations, and prisons, I can tell you firsthand, it’s a crisis. What’s more troubling is that some academics refuse to acknowledge their role in perpetuating this issue, despite its deep impact on children.
Professor Thomas isn’t alone in downplaying the crisis. Activists and professors have questioned the scope of the "reading crisis," focusing on test scores, achievement categories, and their academic theories. But these arguments often prioritize protecting academic reputations rather than addressing the real struggles of students, families, and educators who are suffering from illiteracy. Institutions like Mills at Northeastern, importing debunked reading methods into communities who already rallied to oust them, reflect this alarming disconnect.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) shows disturbing trends. In South Carolina, 40% of 4th graders and 36% of 8th graders are reading so poorly that they fall into a category that NAEP doesn't even bother to define: “Below Basic”. This isn’t a statistical anomaly, it’s a crisis. The lack of clear definitions only obscures the reality that parents and communities fully understand - illiteracy poses to their children’s future.
The NAACP recently reaffirmed that literacy is a civil right and called for systemic changes in teacher preparation to ensure every child receives evidence-based reading instruction. Thirty years ago, the U.S. Department of Justice called illiteracy a root cause of incarceration and directly accused college professors of focusing more on their ideologies than equipping teachers with the skills needed to teach children to read. In what seems like a direct, thirty year old response to Professor Thomas, the Justice Department says (p28), “... since these professors are not held responsible for the countless students who fail to learn, extreme caution should be exercised in accepting uncritically what they say.”
While others deny the crisis, Universities like Morgan State offer a hopeful contrast. As a Research 2 institution working toward R1 status, Morgan recently received accreditation from the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) for its undergraduate program. This is a commitment to evidence-based literacy practices and a clear message that education must align with the best available research. Initiatives like The Maryland Initiative for Literacy & Equity (MILE) and their National Center for Equitable AI and Machine Learning Systems are designed to tackle real-world issues, like educational excellence, particularly for marginalized students.
Parents, teachers, and advocates aren’t asking for theoretical debates, we need solutions, diligence, and consistency. The literacy crisis is not theoretical; it’s a real, national issue that impacts children across racial, economic, and political lines. Parents from all sides have come together to demand better reading instruction. K-12 systems, state departments, and universities must work together to ensure that every child has consistent access to high-quality reading instruction.
This crisis is not just about test scores or gaps in achievement, it’s about adult responsibility and prioritization. Literacy is the modern Mason-Dixon line which divides those who can engage within the knowledge economy from those who cannot. The NAACP's resolution on dyslexia emphasizes literacy as the civil rights issue of our time, while the Ontario Human RIghts Commission emphasized that learning to read is a fundamental human right and called for systemic changes to the education system. The net-net is that we must stop treating literacy as a luxury or an afterthought.
The gap Professor Thomas discusses is a red herring which diverts attention from the real issue: we are failing to teach children to read. Arguing over test score gaps or retention policies is like arguing over seating arrangements on a bus headed over a cliff.
I have seen the effects of third-grade retention firsthand in Mississippi, where a family member faced retention but is now thriving in college. Thank goodness we focused on the child’s foundational need, literacy development, instead of getting bogged down by controversies.
We can’t afford to ignore the voices of educators, parents, and students impacted by this crisis. The time for theoretical discussions is over. It's time to act, prioritize literacy, and ensure every educator and child they serve has the tools needed to succeed. Literacy must be a national priority, because until we ensure every child can read, we are failing them.
Kareem Weaver
Executive Director, FULCRUM
Featured in The Right to Read and Left Behind
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