Literacy Crisis

Is literacy just the ability to read and write, or does it mean the ability to obtain knowledge? On one hand, the ability to identify symbols and interpret them into words is the pragmatic way to view the skill of reading. However, Author, James Paul Gee, argues in chapter three, that literacy is the ability to understand and "produce knowledge" (Gee pg. 27). His argument is based on the United States (U.S.)  political link of literacy (education) and the workforce. Gee argues that the "literacy crisis" is actually a "symptom of deeper (social) issues"(Gee pg. 30).

Gee talks about the change from the "War on Poverty" to the neoliberal agenda still prevalent today in the United States (U.S.). Gee defines neoliberalism as a "market-driven approach to the economy" (Gee pg. 27) Essentially, he is saying that the neoliberal belief is that the "free market" economy should dictate, not only the type of schools Americans should have, but what is taught by the schools. He implies that this type of system creates a caste system or hierarchy of rich and poor. I agree, that this type of approach to education will further widen the gap between the poor and the rich, by only increasing the disparity in the quality of education provided and accessibility to the population. 

In the 1980's, the United States Government responded to a "knowledge" Asian workforce (primarily Japan) by trying to implement the same structure in the U.S.  Today, the U.S. Government response is to provide some basic literacy and numeracy skills to some, basic technical skills to others, and even fewer knowledgable skills to a small group. This process is designed, so that the U.S. has a service workforce and a few to produce new knowledge. Since, factory jobs are now outsourced, service jobs are in place to fill the void for the "illiterate" workforce. As Gee pointed out, literacy is more than just the basic skill of interpreting words and sentences; it is understanding the meaning of what is read and having the ability to apply that knowledge.

This chapter in James Paul Gee's book raises a valid point about the so called "literacy crisis." He demonstrates throughout the reading, that the crisis is linked to social issues and cannot simply be viewed as unrelated to one another. He implies that recognizing the causes of illiteracy (the ability not to comprehend) among children is directly connected to the poverty they endure. Perhaps, a realistic approach to the "literacy crisis" could possibly help close the ever-increasing gap between the rich and poor, the literate and the illiterate.