There’s a Reason Enslaved People Were Forbidden to Read. Literacy is liberation.Reading is power.To deny someone the ability to read is to deny them
There’s a Reason Enslaved People Were Forbidden to Read.
Literacy is liberation.
Reading is power.
To deny someone the ability to read is to deny them the ability to question, to resist, to think critically, and to protect themselves.
Enslavers knew that.
That’s why they made it illegal for Black people to learn to read.
Because a child with a book is a child with a voice.
A people who can read cannot be easily deceived or controlled.
So when we see today’s children struggling with literacy—
And we ignore it in favor of lessons they can’t yet process or challenge—
We must ask ourselves:
Whose freedom are we building? Whose are we delaying?
In a country where so many of our children are struggling to read, write, and reason with confidence—what are we really doing when we insist on pushing complex social lessons before they’ve even mastered the basics?
We’re not saying children shouldn’t learn about diversity, history, or humanity.
We’re saying: Start with the foundation. Build the house before you hang the curtains.
According to national reports:
Only 1 in 3 fourth graders is reading at grade level.
Math scores across the U.S. have dropped to historic lows.
In global rankings, American students are falling behind—fast.
💔 And yet, we’re asking them to engage in adult-level conversations on identity, sexuality, power structures, and belief systems.
We’ve Seen This Before.
In classrooms across the country, children struggle to read basic words, form coherent arguments, or complete a simple math equation. And yet they’re handed books, lessons, and discussions that require critical literacy, emotional maturity, and a strong sense of self.
Many children aren’t ready.
And when they bravely say, “I’m not comfortable,”
We say they’re bigoted.
We say they’re uneducated.
We say they’re parroting adults.
We don’t stop to ask: What if they’re simply not ready?
This Is What “Child-Centered” Actually Means.
It doesn’t mean ignoring the world.
It means giving children:
The reading tools to explore the world with clarity.
The math skills to question statistics and systems.
The space to say, “That’s too much for me right now.”
The respect to know their feelings are real, even if they can’t yet explain them like adults.
📉 A Snapshot of U.S. Academic Performance
According to the 2022 NAEP (“Nation’s Report Card”):
Only 33% of 4th graders were proficient in reading.
Only 36% of 4th graders were proficient in math.
Reading and math scores declined sharply post-pandemic, and have not fully recovered.
In international comparisons (PISA 2022), U.S. 15-year-olds ranked 29th in math and 17th in reading among 79 countries.
🎯 Why This Matters
While education should absolutely foster understanding of human diversity, identity, and respect—it cannot do so at the expense of literacy and numeracy, which are:
Foundational for lifelong learning and critical thinking.
Essential for civic participation, economic empowerment, and safety.
Often the first things neglected in low-performing districts.
🧠 Children Learn Best When They’re Grounded
When students don’t have strong reading comprehension:
They may misinterpret complex social material.
They’re more likely to feel confused or emotionally overwhelmed, especially with sensitive topics.
They struggle to ask informed questions or challenge ideas thoughtfully.
Let’s Slow Down and Listen.
It is not censorship to teach things at the right time.
It is not bigotry to recognize that children learn in stages.
It is not extremist to say that math and literacy come first.
It is wisdom.
If we can’t teach them to read, we can’t teach them to discern.
If we can’t teach them to think, we can’t teach them to respect.
Let’s begin again—with humility, with courage, and with the children in mind.