Inside the Shocking Literacy Crisis: Why US Teachers Are Sounding the Alarm Like Never Before
Ever wondered if kids today could actually read the instructions on a cereal box without breaking into a panic? Well, teachers across the U.S. are ringing alarm bells louder than a fire drill, watching students stumble over the simplest reading and writing tasks . The stats back it up, too — in some places like Illinois, it’s reported that not a single child makes the grade in reading for their level. Yikes, right? While educators are all too aware of this literacy train wreck, the rest of America seems to be blissfully unaware. That’s why a wave of teachers, ex-teachers, and concerned parents are hitting TikTok, sharing candid videos about this crisis — hoping to spark some serious change. Curious about what’s really going down in classrooms across the country? Just scroll down, and prepare to be both shocked and enlightened. LEARN MORE
Teachers across the US are becoming more and more concerned about students’ literacy levels, as they’ve started noticing kids in their class greatly struggling with simple tasks like reading and writing. This issue is evident in national assessments, too. Reports show that some schools (cough, Illinois) don’t have a single child who can read at their grade level.
While those working in the educational system understand the seriousness of the unfolding situation, most Americans are dangerously unaware of the literacy crisis the US is facing. So, teachers, former educators, and even concerned citizens started making videos on TikTok to talk about the state of students’ education in the hopes that it would bring more attention to the issue and initiate a change.
To find their insights on such an important topic, all you have to do is scroll down.
Teachers all over the US are noticing kids’ literacy declining
Image credits: Getty Images (not the actual photo)
This particular substitute teacher thinks the US is now living in a literacy crisis
Image source: @itsmethehbic
Image credits: Getty Images (not the actual photo)
She says that the system is part of the problem: it lowers the standards to accommodate these kids
However, she believes that parents may be the biggest problem
Image credits: Alex Zamora (not the actual photo)
She suggests that all of this results in uneducated people who are easier to control and influence
Image source: @itsmethehbic
You can check out the full video here:
@itsmethehbic Take your child to a local library today!! #fyp#literacymatters#education#edutok♬ original sound – hbic| pgy-no🖤♊️🇳🇬
Another teacher joined in, agreeing and saying we should be very scared
Image credits: Getty Images (not the actual photo)
She proposed that schools and parents are failing these kids
Image source: @ok.audryy
Image source: @ok.audryy
Her full video can be found here:
@ok.audryy we’re screwed 🫶🏾 #education#teaching#teachersoftiktok#highschool#biology#scienceteacher#STEM♬ original sound – Audryyy🦋
Statistics prove teachers’ claims, showing low levels of literacy
Image credits: Getty Images (not the actual photo)
Image source: @drippydarion
Check out the video in full here:
@drippydarion#greenscreen all I can say is wow #cps#viral♬ i was only temporary – my head is empty
This teacher even showed the real-life examples of her students’ poor writing skills
Image source: @kingdesee
Image source: @kingdesee
Image source: @kingdesee
Catch the full video here:
@kingdesee To be clear, I’m not mocking or making fun of these kids; this is not an individual student problem, it is a generational issue we’re experiencing #greenscreen#creatorsearchinsights#blacktiktok#fyp#foryou#foryoupage#foryourpage#blackwomen#education#teacher#teachersoftiktok#teacherlife#blackteachersontiktok#blackteachers♬ Bunna Summa – BunnaB
In 2024, most students failed to meet or exceed reading standards in most states
Image credits: RDNE Stock project (not the actual photo)
Let’s back up these videos of concerned teachers, ex-educators, and everyday Americans telling us that the state of literacy has reached new lows with some hard evidence, shall we?
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports that roughly just one-third of US students in fourth, eighth, and 12th grades are skilled at reading and have “solid academic performance and demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter.”
