EDITORIAL – “Free Yourself:” Learn how to read

Fantasia Barrino, “American Idol” winner in 2004 and American Music Award nominee, recently… Fantasia Barrino, “American Idol” winner in 2004 and American Music Award nominee, recently revealed on ABC’s “20/20” that she cannot read. More specifically, she is functionally illiterate and although she signed a million-dollar contract, she could not read it.

Her coming out to the public was prompted by the release of her new book, “Life Is Not a Fairy Tale” – which she dictated to a writer – explaining her illiteracy and inability to read to her 4-year-old daughter, Zion.

It’s alarming that people like Fantasia can get to this station in their lives without the ability to read and write. But interestingly enough, she is far from alone.

Robert Kelly, also known as R. Kelly, has also been suspected of illiteracy, as he dictates all of his lyrics to an employee. It doesn’t seem like a coincidence that both of them are in the entertainment industry. It’s convenient how corporations stand to profit so much by exploiting and taking advantage of individuals who can’t always defend themselves.

But it seems that there is a bigger issue at hand. In the United States, the richest country in the world, 52 percent of people read below the sixth-grade level. It’s a shame to see that we are so educationally bankrupt and not giving our children, our future leaders, the most basic and fundamental living skills.

According to Michelle Adomitis, the system and financial analyst for Operation Read, the problem lies in the fact that, “Where there is illiteracy, there is poverty.”

When you come from a family that doesn’t promote literacy, it has a significant effect. Also, a lot of people drop out of school for disabilities that may be physical or emotional. Furthermore, in underprivileged neighborhoods, it could be a case of poor administrators, funding allocations and teachers who do not critically evaluate students but allow them, illiterate and all, to move to the next grade.

In the case of Fantasia, it seems to be a combination of some of these things. She made it to the ninth grade unable to read and then dropped out. If her daughter does not learn to read, she will represent the third generation of illiteracy in her family.

While Fantasia is now trying to learn how to read with tutors, she spent her first four years as a mother illiterate. While it’s not morally wrong to be an illiterate mother, it is very much a vulnerability when it comes to everyday practical things that require literacy, such as filling out applications to pre-school or helping with homework. But after all this time, it is admirable that she hasn’t given up; at 21, she is learning to read

She must be commended for attempting to stop the cycle of illiteracy not only in her family, but also in an industry that’s in a position to take full advantage of her inability. Her announcement and her willingness to tackle her problem will be an example for many entertainers to follow. If MC Hammer could read and ended up in his miserable financial state, who’s to say what the future could hold for her?

But the biggest question lies in what the future of this country will be if we continue down this road of miseducation. It’s disappointing that Fantasia made it 21 years without teachers or educators taking a more active role in her development at the stage where she needed it most. Teachers can’t be monitoring the development of students with the embarrassing reading level that is our reality in America. It’s time to make a change.