Why majority high school graduates can not read and write these days?

Answer 1

Do you mean "Why can't the majority of high school graduates read and write these days?"

I think a big problem is that young people do not read enough. I learned most of what I know about writing by reading insatiably from a young age. I read cereal boxes, instructions on the shampoo bottle, piles of books from the library, every book my dad owned including the James Bond novels that he didn't want me to see because he thought they were too racy. I read the newspaper, the Reader's Digest, every magazine that came into the house. My brother and sister were also readers. Sometimes my mom would get angry because everyone would come to the dinner table with reading material. I grew up watching TV, but it never replaced reading. I've tried to pass that on to my kids, more successfully with the girls than the boys, but all of them have learned to read and write coherently and properly. Television, video games, computer games -- these can all have a place, but if you don't read, you don't understand how to use the language in written form. By reading, you develop your vocabulary and your sense of how language works. I think we are failing to teach our children the joys of reading!

Answer 2

Actually it is a minority not a majority. And I will overlook the fact that you inadvertently omitted the word "can't". As far as why can't so many high school graduates read nor write is because of many reasons that have added up to an epidemic; Between both parents now needed to keep a full time job and not being able (or willing) to devote time to helping their child with their education, to public school overcrowding, to teachers unwilling to hold back a student who needs it because it would "damage them emotionally", or my personal favorite reason is the fact that with the government keeping everyone working so much these days the general public has become apathetic to most social issues that don't directly affect them.......... (How is that for an opinion from a H.S. graduate?)

Answer 3

I wouldn't say majority, but it is a few high school graduates that are still functional illiterate only because they don't take the times to get the necessary skills that can probably determine their future later on in life. They sometimes play around and think that school is a joke and sometimes they probably have parents that don't care what they do in school so they don't apply themselves. The last reason could also be how the the school teaches maybe they don't care so the student don't learn like they should. Hope I answered your question.

Answer 4

Most of the time, if a student is pushed from one grade to the next, it is at the insistence of the parents. I've seen it happen. And I don't know what "money" T Time is talking about. Districts get State aid based on the number of students who attend school. Districts, at least in NY State, are judged on how students do on various standardized tests given at various grade levels. If the students can't read, obviously they won't do well on those tests. These scores are published in all the newspapers and are used when people are deciding where to buy homes. It is not in a district's best interest to have low scores. One huge problem is that special education students are "mainstreamed" into regular classes. They really can't do the work but are expected to take all the tests.

Answer 5

Looking at US Census data, it appears appx. 32% of people age 18 and over are high school graduates. That means about 2/3 of the US population over age 18 did not graduate high school.

How many of the 1/3 who did graduate cannot read I do not know, but it's very sad to think so many people in this country do not apply themselves and try to get a high school diploma. Granted, these statistics include immigrants and very old people who didn't have opportunities, but still, you'd think people would want to read.

Well, maybe not. Looking at the number of posters at this yahoo site who are exceedingly poor at phrasing a question, maybe people like being barely literate.

I'm very glad the school system is going through a major overhaul in the USA and standards have been raised. At least they have been raised in many states.

But even raising standards to get a diploma does not change the fact of so many adults who did not graduate high school: 2/3 of the citizens, if those statistics are correct.

http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/education/cps2004/tab01-01.pdf

Answer 6

I don't know where you're from or what type of high school you graduated, but the majority of high school graduates CAN read AND write.

Answer 7

Check your facts, It is not a majority. Less than 20 % of students that graduate cant read. That makes it a minority. The reason has to do with effort. I dont think that studends put enough effort into trying to learn. We can not blame the school system for being over crowded as we have a lot less studends per teacher than countries that excell over us in school. and learning levels. I would say that it has something to do with lazy studends and overpaid lazy teachers.

Answer 8

I think too many school districts just push the students through, rather than failing them when the standard is not met. It reflects on the district, and on individual teachers, to fail students and it affects the money that is allotted to the school and the district. It's all about money, which really goes to show where the lack of concern is for the future of our society.

Answer 9

Because the teachers are afraid not to pass them for fear of being sued by the student's parents. Throw in the fact that today's teachers are themselves "C" students, due to the fact that the pay scale is so low that an intelligent person isn't stupid enough to do that much work, and have that much responsibility, for that little paycheck.

Answer 10

Like who? My son hasn't graduated yet - next year he will. He and all of his friends (quite a few) are extremely literate. We had a get together with his friends at our house - there were about 20 of them and about 75% of them were there were honor students. The others pretty smart too!!