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More than 1/5 of Lubbock County residents illiterate
Glenys Bolls
Issue date: 10/9/07 Section: News
More than 21 percent of Lubbock County residents cannot read.
Of Lubbock County's 254,862 residents, 54,000 adults in Lubbock County are illiterate, according to the Report on the State of Adult Literacy in Texas.
"We have a huge literacy problem," said Carol Keeney, executive director of the Lubbock Area Coalition for Literacy. "A lot of people are dropping out of school, a lot of people are migrant workers. A lot of people have learning differences where they can't learn in a normal school setting."
Amy Wilson, director of education at Sylvan Learning Center, said the problem of illiteracy begins at a young age but can have ramifications throughout a person's life.
"It's more of a problem than people realize," Wilson said. "We have a lot of kids come into the center whose parents didn't know that they were behind the normal reading level for their age. That's at least 75 percent of the cases we see."
Many adults who go to the Lubbock Area Coalition for Literacy have specific goals for their educations, Keeney said.
"At Literacy Lubbock, the number one request we get - and we'll get at least 600 this year - is to get a better job," she said. "Number two is 'help me get a better education to help my children.' These are the people who are courageous, motivated, honest and just want a way out."
When told of the 54,000 illiterate Lubbock County residents, Wilson had an immediate response.
"What happened?" she asked. "That's very disheartening. It's something we hope to address when people are in school."
One major problem is the state of Texas does not put much emphasis on adult education, Keeney said.
"Texas ranks last on spending in adult education," she said. "People don't realize what a problem we have. We have an immense problem, and the odd thing about it is, the answer to it is not that hard."
Keeney said the coalition can educate one student for a year for $350 whereas a year in prison, which is often the alternative, can cost $40,000 for one person.
Of Lubbock County's 254,862 residents, 54,000 adults in Lubbock County are illiterate, according to the Report on the State of Adult Literacy in Texas.
"We have a huge literacy problem," said Carol Keeney, executive director of the Lubbock Area Coalition for Literacy. "A lot of people are dropping out of school, a lot of people are migrant workers. A lot of people have learning differences where they can't learn in a normal school setting."
Amy Wilson, director of education at Sylvan Learning Center, said the problem of illiteracy begins at a young age but can have ramifications throughout a person's life.
"It's more of a problem than people realize," Wilson said. "We have a lot of kids come into the center whose parents didn't know that they were behind the normal reading level for their age. That's at least 75 percent of the cases we see."
Many adults who go to the Lubbock Area Coalition for Literacy have specific goals for their educations, Keeney said.
"At Literacy Lubbock, the number one request we get - and we'll get at least 600 this year - is to get a better job," she said. "Number two is 'help me get a better education to help my children.' These are the people who are courageous, motivated, honest and just want a way out."
When told of the 54,000 illiterate Lubbock County residents, Wilson had an immediate response.
"What happened?" she asked. "That's very disheartening. It's something we hope to address when people are in school."
One major problem is the state of Texas does not put much emphasis on adult education, Keeney said.
"Texas ranks last on spending in adult education," she said. "People don't realize what a problem we have. We have an immense problem, and the odd thing about it is, the answer to it is not that hard."
Keeney said the coalition can educate one student for a year for $350 whereas a year in prison, which is often the alternative, can cost $40,000 for one person.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 16
Roger
posted 10/08/07 @ 10:46 PM CST
Does this study include illegal alians? If so, how does that set with those figures?
Keith Crozier
posted 10/09/07 @ 4:08 AM CST
IT IS MY OPINION THAT THIS ILLITERACY PERECENTAGE REPRESENTS MOST OF THE GENERAL POPULATION AND THIS IS UNFORTUNATE. I LIVE IN GUN BARREL CITY TEXAS AND HAVE LIVED HERE ABOUT FORTY YEARS AND I CONSTNTLY HEAR THE 25 TO 40 YEAR OLD EMPLOYEES AT THE LOCAL WALMART COMPLAIN AND CLEARLY STATE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE COMPLETED HIGH SCHOOL IF THE SCHOOL TEACHERS HAD NOT BEEN SO SSTUPID. (Continued…)
simpleminded
posted 10/09/07 @ 6:57 AM CST
Spelling is another issue as well as grammar. Another is the ability to properly express ones self.
But yeah, illiteracy is a problem.
So what did the article say?
Jonathan
posted 10/09/07 @ 8:34 AM CST
How can we help????
George Gant
posted 10/09/07 @ 11:22 AM CST
"The Unified Theory of Stupidity."
Lubbock County. Twenty-one percent can't read or write. Fifty percent can't comprehend what they read. The MOST Conservative Republican County in the USA. (Continued…)
MP
posted 10/09/07 @ 11:37 AM CST
If the statistic is accurate, that's disturbing. The article briefly mentioned functional illiteracy and I wonder what the statistic on that is. If 21 percent of Lubbock County is illiterate, I'd be willing to guess an additional 15 to 20 percent are functionally illiterate. (Continued…)
pw0nzor3d
posted 10/09/07 @ 12:15 PM CST
I'm actually illiterate so I'm getting a kick out of a lot of these replies. Can someone please read the article to me?
resident
posted 10/10/07 @ 12:07 AM CST
Meanwhile, 80% of the non-student employees at any Sam's Place are illiterate. How many times do I have to tell these people NO CHEESE ON MY FREAKING HAMBURGER, CLUB SANDWHICH, OR BLT. (Continued…)
Phil
posted 10/11/07 @ 9:15 PM CST
I doubt the statistics are accurate. Likely a decent percentage of the illiterati are acutally illegal aliens. So, they don't count.
You need to give the illegals credit for one thing though. (Continued…)
C.K. Crozier
posted 12/20/07 @ 11:45 AM CST
You know Mr. Crozier, many children are raised with absent and/or neglectful parents. It is very common in this country today to see single parents trying to do the job of 2 people. (Continued…)
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