Educators hope ‘abysmal’ national literacy rates will be addressed now that DEI, gender ideology out the door

The Campus DEI Retreat at the University of Michigan has recently been shut down as colleges across the country scramble to avoid scrutiny from President Donald Trump’s administration. In light of this, a Texas-driven campaign aimed at tackling children’s literacy rates is hoping to expand nationwide, as Trump rolls back DEI initiatives and curbs progressive gender ideology.

The campaign, spearheaded by former Secretary of the Army Pete Geren and the organization At Grade Level, aims to address the “abysmal” literacy rates among children in the United States. Geren, a former Democratic congressman from Texas, emphasized the importance of raising awareness about the issue, noting that many parents are unaware of their children’s struggles with reading proficiency.

According to state test scores in Fort Worth, only 43% of over 170,000 students are reading at a proficient grade level, while nearly 100% of parents believe their children are reading at grade level. Nationally, similar trends are evident, with only 67% of eighth graders meeting basic reading standards and 60% of fourth graders meeting basic reading standards.

The connection between poor literacy rates and crime is also highlighted by At Grade Level, which reports that approximately 80% of Texas prison inmates are functionally illiterate. Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes emphasized the importance of addressing literacy issues early on to prevent future crime and incarceration.

In response to the pressing need to address literacy rates, the campaign is urging parents to take a simple step by asking their children to read aloud to them. Geren emphasized that parents play a crucial role in addressing the literacy crisis and that raising awareness among parents is key to enacting change both at home and at the governmental level.

President Trump’s executive orders to eliminate DEI programs and gender ideology instruction in K-12 schools have sparked a national conversation about the state of education in the United States. With a focus on downsizing the Department of Education and shifting more control over education to the states, Trump has criticized the billions of dollars funneled into the public education system without seeing significant improvements in student academic performance.

Despite record levels of federal aid to education during the pandemic, students have fallen behind in core subjects like math, reading, and science. The need to address literacy rates and improve educational outcomes for children across the country has never been more urgent, and campaigns like At Grade Level are working to make a difference in the lives of students and families nationwide.