What more evidence do we need that the educational system in Delaware has totally failed our children? Here it is: Our governor declares Literacy Month and talks about the importance of reading. I am shocked and furious that this most foundational skill of learning has to receive this attention. What happened to the basics of learning reading, writing and ‘rithmatic? Oh yes, reading is a literary crisis in our state, writing is only printing and typing (cursive is not taught at all) and children are counting with their fingers, not their brains. Instead of the tried-and-true basics, our children are taught about race, sexual orientation and gender ideology, and at astonishing young ages.
In 2021, 65% of third-graders in Delaware could not read at grade level. In 2024, that reduced to 62%. If you read that the reading proficiency has improved, you can decide if 1% a year is worth bragging about. Let’s not forget that the average amount spent per student increased from $17,650 in in 2022 to $20,502 in 2024.
Our new secretary of education in Delaware, Cynthia Marten, is looking forward to hearing from teachers about what they need. With the dismal results in Delaware, we can assume they do not know. With 36 years of experience in education, including spearheading a literacy program in her recent past, perhaps she can tell them what they need. We surely hope so.
Parents of school-age children, please demand better. The future of our country and the success of your children depend on it.
-
A letter to the editor expresses a reader's opinion and, as such, is not reflective of the editorial opinions of this newspaper.
To submit a letter to the editor for publishing, send an email to viewpoints@capegazette.com. All letters are considered at the discretion of the newsroom and published as space allows. Due to the large volume of submissions, we cannot acknowledge receipt of each submission. Letters must include a phone number and address for verification. Keep letters to 400 words or fewer. We reserve the right to edit for content or length. Letters should be responsive to issues addressed in the Cape Gazette rather than content from other publications or media. Letters should focus on local issues, not national topics or personalities. Only one letter per author will be published every 30 days regarding a particular topic. Authors may submit a second letter within that time period if it pertains to a different issue. Letters may not be critical of personalities or specific businesses. Criticism of public figures is permissible. Endorsement letters for political candidates are no longer accepted. Letters must be the author’s original work, and may not be generated by artificial intelligence tools. Templates, form letters and letters containing language similar to other submissions will not be published.
