Policy Analysis Paper

Social Policy and Welfare 3710

Social Work
Policy Analysis Paper
Wayne State University School of Social Work
October 1, 2014
Ec5994
Chelsey Pasha

Policy Analysis Paper

Growing up my mother always taught me that the one thing that no one can take away
from you is your education. She always said that in a moments time material possessions can be
snatched, and everything you ever owned could be gone, but one thing that would be yours to
keep is the knowledge obtained through an education. Imagine growing up and not being able to
read or write. Life examples tell us that to do anything requires us to have basic skills such as
reading and writing. To do simple tasks like drive a car, purchase groceries, purchase a home, or
most importantly going to school asks us to comprehend in one form or another. Imagine if you
werent able to do those simple tasks, how does one function or move through life?
The U.S Department of Education defines literacy as the ability to use printed and written
information to function in society, to achieve ones goals, and develop ones knowledge and
potential (Chaney, 2014). With the progression of technology over the years it has made task
such as reading easier, but yet and still there are people who cant read and write. The culture
most affected by this is indeed African Americans. African Americans have been shown to have
the highest rates of illiteracy over time compared to other cultures especially their white counter
parts. It saddens me as an African American woman that higher learning or success may not be
an option for the younger people in my generation. The illiteracy rate in urban areas seem to be
higher than in any other and the question that should be asked is what issues are causing this
social problem?

History of the Social Problem

History tells us that during the period of enslavement, we were not able to read or write,
nor were we given the opportunity to. Trying to do so would have the enslaved individual

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severely beat or even killed, yet and still during the period of enslavement, organizations were
founded to improve African Americans ability to become educated (Waters, 1992). In the late
1700s Richard Allen founded generous organizations, publications, reading societies, libraries,
and schools for African children (Waters, 1992). According to Waters (2014), there were three
educators and scholars who sought to bring literacy to African Americans. Booker T.
Washington, W.E.B. Du Boise, and Carter G, Woodson all represented the first golden age in
African Americans ability to become literate in the educational historiography (Waters, 1992). It
was during this time that a foundation was created to encourage institutions, create publications,
and debate educational philosophy (Waters, 1992). During this time African American leaders
were fighting to encourage the knowledge of blacks especially in the south (Waters, 1992).
According to Waters (1992), in the early 1970s the enrollment rates for African
Americans had risen to 90% and by 1991, 93% of five to nineteen year olds were enrolled in
school. According to Waters, the average educational attainment for the entire U.S. population
continued to rise as more highly educated younger cohorts replaced older Americans who had
fewer educational opportunities (Waters, 1992). According to Waters, approximately 70% of
African Americans had completed high school in 1991. The statistics here show that over time
the rate for illiteracy has gone down but there is still a strong number of people who are illiterate
in the United States.
Historically lack of education in urban communities shows higher incarceration rates and
higher unemployment rates, which turns into a generational problem. Cassandra Chaney (2014)
identified the strengths of the black family listing strong kinship, strong work emphasis,
adaptability of family roles, high achievement orientation, and strong religious ties, which dates
back to the period of enslavement. Turn the television on after work to see what made headlines

Policy Analysis Paper

especially in the inner cities. Most of the stories are plagued with individuals who come from
conditions where they dont have the means to afford basic necessities, so they turn to crime. Just
listen to the ones who they interview, most of them lack the ability to even put a correct sentence
together. Most recently one of the greatest boxers, Floyd Mayweather Jr. a millionaire boxer,
who makes an estimated eighty million for each fight was recently blasted in the media for not
being able to read. A young man who has a boxing record of forty-five and zero somehow cant
read a simple sentence. A role model for the youth especially young black boys, simply cant read
above an eight grade reading level. How is it possible that a man could become so successful and
not know how to read?

Policies in Place to Address Illiteracy

According to Chaney (2014), one in four children are illiterate and more than fifty
percent of adults cant read a book that is written on an eighth grade reading level. Chaney also
states that African American children from low-income homes are three times more likely than
white children to be poor but far more as likely be uneducated or illiterate (Chaney, 2014).
Information like this should bring fourth policies and initiatives to increase literacy rates in the
United States, but unfortunately they do not. To date there are no any policies to address
illiteracy specifically focusing on the African American community.
The importance of ending illiteracy in the African American Community is crucial to the
end of economic hardship in urban areas. According to Chaney (2014), through research there
are several predictors of childhood literacy and illiteracy. The first predictor is the parents rules
and expectations for their childrens home-learning behaviors (Chaney, 2014). The second

Policy Analysis Paper

predictor is the parents provision for learning materials (Chaney, 2014). The next is the parents
tutorial behaviors that facilitate homework completion (Chaney, 2014). Chaney also mentions
the parents patterns of guiding and monitoring homework activities. The last predictor Chaney
mentions is the parents efforts to expose their children to positive role models to be the strongest
predictors of whether children become literate and academically excel in school (Chaney, 2014).
The predictors that also determine literacy depends on the parents education. If we can gather
information about the basic predictors of illiteracy then where are the policies?
If ignorance is bliss, then why dont we all strive to be ignorant in one-way or another?
Ntiri asks why would anyone want to remain ignorant in a country filled with so many resources
(Ntiri, 2009)? Ntiri points out that African Americans question their need to obtain knowledge.
According to Ntiri (2009), Africans Americans believe that having an education such as a GED
or bachelors degree still subjects them to certain circumstances such as unemployment or low
paying jobs. How can the gap be bridged if African Americans in urban cities feel as though
there is no hope? As public schools become overcrowded and the drop out rate increases, how
doe one restore hope that a change will come? Ntiri answers this question stating that the ones
who are waiting for hope will simply become functioning illiterates in society (Ntiri, 2009).
Detroit, the home of the automotive industry, which gave rise to the big three, has the
poorest living conditions to date. One of the first places to be hit during the economic recession,
Detroit suffered in the worst way. According to Ntiri (2009), Detroit only had a forty-two percent
graduation rate. That means that less than half of the students in high school go on to achieve
higher learning. Detroit has a population that is eight-five percent African American (Ntiri,
2009). If the population in Detroit is mostly African American, what does that mean for the
literacy rate if we are the most subjected culture to be illiterate? The Bush Administration came

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up with a plan to start No Child Left Behind, which made sure that children were academically
where they needed to be especially in urban areas (Ntiri, 2009). Ntiri points out that the program
has failed in many instances and during the seven years that the program was implemented the
rates of attendance have dropped and the overall academic success that the administration
thought would be achieved has not happen (Ntiri, 2009). So the most important question is what
comes next?

Initiatives and Resources for Illiteracy

Today there are many resources for those who struggle with illiteracy or what is now
called a learning disability. There are resources at the state and national level. Michigan has
Adult Education, which provides opportunities for older students to achieve education levels
equivalent to those of high school graduates. They provide services to help adults achieve their
GEDs and family literacy. Michigan also has Bridges 4 Kids: Help for a Child in Michigan,
Learning Disabilities Association of Michigan, and Michigan Literacy, Inc. and Literacy
Councils. On the national level CAST: Universal Design for learning helps to provide all
individuals with innovative ways to learn. The Literacy and Learning Disabilities website is a
program that is also the national level geared to help teenagers and adults with literacy.
Additional resources include Closing the Gap and EdTherapy Education Services.
There are federal initiative such as the adult Education and Family Literacy Act or
AEFLA overseas national leadership activities funded through section 243 of the Adult
Education and Family Literacy Act (Education.gov, 2014). These activities strive to ensure that
all youth and adult students are ready for and have access to a complete college and career

Policy Analysis Paper

pathway. It ensures that they have effective teachers and leaders and that the individuals benefit
from an expanding research and evidence base (Education.gov, 2014).
During my quest to find an advocator and legislator, I came across a program right here
in Detroit called the Dominican Literacy program. It a small program on the eastside of Detroit,
which offers adults in the inner city the ability to get help in the area of literacy. The Dominican
Literacy program recruits volunteers and trains them to help adults who are illiterate. The
program meets twice a week and allows the adults to achieve learning at their own pace. I spoke
with a woman named June Walker, who is an advocate and volunteer for the program. I asked
Ms. Walker why she felt the need to advocate for an issue that does not get enough attention.
Thats just it, I do this because illiteracy does not get enough attention compared to other issues
that the inner city faces (Personal communication Walker, 2014). I asked Ms. Walker how long
she had been an advocate for literacy and what are some of the ways she encourages the men and
women of the community to come and get the help they need? I have been advocating for many
years, in fact I started advocating before I went to college. I grew up in a generation where we
were advocates for everything, I grew up during a time where racism was alive and present and
we had to use our voices rather than our fist! I finished law school a year ago and I took an oath
to advocate the moment I entered my law program. Ms. Walker went on to mention that she has a
connection with the community that most dont have. I asked her what she meant by that and her
response made it clear. After I graduated from college my life spiraled downward, I became
addicted to hardcore drugs and I hung out in some of the worst neighborhoods in Detroit. People
knew who I was, so when I became clean and went back to some of these neighborhoods I still
had that connection with the same drug addicted people I hung with. This program helps to
motivate everyone from the homeless to the most seasoned adult an opportunity to become more

Policy Analysis Paper

academically advanced (Personal Communication Paper Walker, 2014). Ms. Walker mentioned
that in the city of Detroit almost fifty percent of the citizens are illiterate and most can not read
past an eighth grade reading level. There are no real policies in place to ensure that one can read
and write. There are some jobs that may require you to be able to, but the individuals who are
illiterate are not going to go apply for those. There are no laws in place that state you must be
able to read and write and it is truly disappointing. Our government needs to look at the real
reason why we have crime in the inner city and start with one of the main reasons which is lack
of education as one (Personal Communication Walker, 2014.
Conclusion
African Americans are at risk for far more than society believes. High incarceration rates,
high drop out rates, high unemployment rates and most importantly high rates of illiteracy.
According to Chaney, the most important predictor of literacy in the African American family is
the mothers and fathers ability to recognize academics as a key staple to success in life. Black
family strengths provide a foundation for African Americans, but it simply not enough to
motivate literacy in the home (Chaney, 2014). To hold ourselves accountable for our faults
begins with making sure we realize how important literacy is in the black community.
There are policies and laws for almost everything today, so one would think that there
would be a policy in place for illiteracy. Placing illiteracy issues on just the African American
community is not completely fair. There are other cultures that suffer from issues of illiteracy it
just seems to happen that the ones that seem to be impacted the most are African Americans.
Illiteracy impacts us all and we all should strive to make a difference in the communities
impacted the hardest. Knowledge is power and the moment people began to realize that it could
impact the whole world.

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References

Chaney, C. (2014). Bridging the gap: Promoting intergenerational family

Literacy, among low-income African American families. The Journal of
Negro Education, 83(1), 29-48. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/docview/1540362922?accountid=14925
Cooter, K. S. (2006). When mama can't read: Counteracting
Intergenerational illiteracy. The Reading Teacher, 59(7), 698-702.
Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/docview/203281246?accountid=14925

Federal Initiatives Adult Education and Family Literacy Act. (2014, August 7).
Retrieved October 6, 2014, from http://www.2.ed.gov
Ntiri, D. W. (2009). Framing the literacy issue: Correcting educational
misrepresentations in U. S. society. Western Journal of Black Studies,
33(4), 231-239. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/docview/89070966?accountid=14925

Resources for people with learning disabilities. (2007, January 1). Retrieved
October 6, 2014, from http://thelearningdisabiltyforum

Waters, L., & Harris, S. (2009). Exploration of the lived experiences of

illiterate African American adults. Western Journal of Black Studies,

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33(4), 250-258. Retrieved from

http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/docview/89070777?accountid=14925

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