20th century Quote by Vin Suprynowicz
“By 1940 the literacy figure for all states stood at 96 percent for whites. Eighty percent for blacks. Notice for all the disadvantages blacks labored under, four of five were still literate. Six decades later, at the end of the 20th century, the National Adult Literacy Survey and the National Assessment of Educational Progress say 40 percent of blacks and 17 percent of whites can't read at all. Put another way, black illiteracy doubled, white illiteracy quadrupled, despite the fact that we spend three or four times as much real money on schooling as we did 60 years ago.”
About This Quote
Source Report: National Adult Literacy Survey analysis, 2000
The data shows that despite increased spending, literacy rates have declined for both blacks and whites, highlighting systemic issues in education.
In simple terms: More money spent, yet literacy fell for both groups.
Key Takeaway
Investigate why funding isn’t improving outcomes.
Themes
education
inequality
policy
literacy
Mood
concerned
analytical
Type
analytical
policy‑oriented
When to use this quote
- school reform
- community tutoring
- policy advocacy
- research studies
Key Concepts
sociology
public policy
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do literacy rates decline despite higher spending?
- What reforms could reverse this trend?
A Different Perspective
Funding alone may not address deeper socioeconomic barriers.
![“The average college graduate's proficient literacy in English [the ability to read lengthy, complex texts and draw complicated inferences] has declined from 40 percent in 1992 to 31 percent ten years later.” quote by Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/abf/charles-colson-7127_ability_the-average-college-graduate-s-proficien_246756.jpg)
![“True literacy is becoming an arcane art and the nation [United States] is steadily dumbing down.” quote by Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/12a/isaac-asimov-309_arcane_true-literacy-is-becoming-an-arcane-art_1009642.jpg)
