In a time when fewer Americans read than ever, Bush has eliminated funding for RIF (Reading is Fundamental) from the 2009 budget. This site has a form for contacting your congressperson and telling them to put it back.

Why is this post tagged “science”? From the National Institute for Literacy:

By age 17, only about 1 in 17 seventeen year olds can read and gain information from specialized text, for example the science section in the local newspaper. This includes:

  • 1 in 12 White 17 year olds,
  • 1 in 50 Latino 17 year olds, and
  • 1 in 100 African American 17 year olds.

Research ties early reading to success later in life as a reader. So put RIF back, you warmongering bastard!
(Whoops, did I say that out loud?)

Waggle of the Antennae to Shakesville for the tip.

Posted by Gwen Pearson

Entomologist. Educator. Writer. NERD.

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4 Comments

  1. ellaella April 13, 2008 at 7:05 pm

    Why does this not surprise me? That warmongering bastard’s No Child Left Behind is doing more harm than good, to both students and teachers, and now this, despite his mother’s involvement in literacy projects. Despite a real need for this program.

    I was a literacy volunteer in NYC for many years and in New England for just a few. And I can tell you from my experience that any stereotyped belief that help is for people learning English as a second language is wrong. My students most in need were and are born and bred Americans, albeit under-educated ones.

    I have a great Reading is FUNdamental poster done by whoever illustrated Where the Wild Things Are. I haven’t seen it since my moving men from hell but I think it was tied into NY is Book Country one year. I’ll have to look for it. And grrr about Bush until I bore everyone I know. Including my Congressman.

    BTW, your new avatar’s great!

  2. museditions April 13, 2008 at 11:14 pm

    I LOVE your new avatar. I must admit the other one was extremely creative, but freaked me out a little bit. This one is a friendly bug girl. As you are.
    I have been a reading tutor at different times and agree with what ella said above, so won’t repeat it. Ooooh a Maurice Sednak RIF poster! Want!

  3. Dave April 15, 2008 at 7:02 am

    Didn’t GWB go on record early on saying that he didn’t read papers?

    Sure am gonna miss these years.

  4. Stonehead April 16, 2008 at 5:37 pm

    It’s not just reading that’s suffering if the emails I receive from the US are anything to go by. I get two or three emails a week from people asking where Scotland is in the US as they’d like to buy pigs, chickens or produce from me.

    When I told one person that Scotland was on the opposite side of the Atlantic, he replied to ask if that was one of the Great Lakes.

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