UNREAL: Teacher is explaining why illiteracy among children has gotten so severe.
She says she has 24 students, and about 50% show up without backpacks, books, papers, or even a pencil. In her view, many of them aren’t coming to school to learn. They don’t pay attention, follow directions, or participate. She spends a large part of the day just trying to keep them awake and minimally engaged.
According to her, the issue goes beyond the classroom. She argues that many parents are not setting expectations for learning at home, and that lack of structure carries into school. Instead of teaching, she often feels like she’s managing basic behavior and trying to create a learning environment from scratch.
The academic data reflects the problem. Roughly 34% of U.S. fourth graders read below basic levels, and math performance shows similar strain—about a quarter to a third of students perform below basic proficiency in math, depending on the assessment. When large numbers of students fall behind in both reading and math early on, it becomes harder for them to catch up later, putting long-term academic outcomes at risk.
Mary J. Blige sat with Scott Evans and said her Burger King commercial is not a laughing matter to her—
and her true fans didn’t think 💩 was funny about it. 😂