You mean:

23% of Americans are Illiterate?

Emphasis on the proper grammer.

I definitely see this in the public.
Hell, just goto WallyWorld any given day.
I am serious.

For one, the title of this thread alone is ironic...

And for another, with only 23% of Americans illiterate, why do they all seem to post all the time on ATS?

I'm calling BS on that. America had a 90%+ literacy rate last time I checked.

If you actually read it, that article is bending the truth. It's talking about a type of literacy.
While on the topic, the average American has an 8th grade reading level. It's not great, but saying 23% are illiterate is simply untrue.

Tenth, I was just pulling your tail feathers...
Sorry for the correction.

It was mighty ironic...
You should keep the original title just for laughs.
To see if anyone else picks up on it.

But seriously, people should read more and put down the remote!
I am tired of people using simple words and not expanding their vocabulary!
It's not that hard to use longer, more structured sentences either...

Oh well. Not that my opinion matters.
I've given up on about 23% of Americans.
They are the ones who are too apathetic for me.
Can't even get my change right with cash at the register.
Let alone read a book!

I'm sure that you're reading this wrong...

Ok, I just had to do it...

On the subject, not surprising at all.

Peace

ETA: Graphics uploaded and now included in the OP.

Yay!

Although I agree that our dumbed down school system is producing some real future politicians, as evident of extremely low intelligence, but can sing a few rap songs word per 'word' The fallacy in this equasion is the illegal immigrant factor. These non english majors offspring know very little english and expect the school system to cater to their spanish launguage limits. This major increase of costs and slowdown of the process harms the legitimate students that taxpayer dollars fund. But the injury/insult of this is the americans as a group are always the problem, and the current climate will lean to the illegals and help them and demonize the American students as too dumb to learn and do not forget the big pharma pushers of drugs and the stupid and lazy parents who care more for american idol than their kids education. For the most part though, the illegal immigrant percentage fluffs the real numbers, but the American parents should take their share of the blame... love the grammar, and written as is for value.

wanna see some examples go comb through Facebook...


kids are being taught its cool to misspell words in America..

I think that percentage will go up in less than a decade..

literacy is the least of our problems at the moment...

As far as vocabulary if I use a word more than 4 syllables around here I am called arrogant, prick, or whatever other word they can think of...

I swear I am not making it up, I act stupid allot just to fit in, and not be seen as a threat.. at work etc

I agree that the figure is probably very close to true. Statistics are hard because of the sampling choices made.

Examples:
A County Extension Agent (Supposedly a minimum BS degree) ... who cannot read a single word. He has two secretaries in two locations, both KNEW he was unable to read or write when I advised them of my suspicion.

A CPA! I asked him how in the heck he got his supposed Master's degree. His reply, "I excelled at cheating."

A landlord.

A nephew who in was in 10th grade. I was discussing something along with written material and it was obvious he couldn't read a word! I asked him, "You can't read a word can you?" He admitted he couldn't and pleaded for me not to tell his Mother. I didn't tell her; but, convinced him that for his own good - he should tell her himself. He did.

An old man from WWII.

And so on ... I've met dozens of so-called "home-schooled" kids online and the only things they know are what we taught them ourselves. Their parents didn't want them to go to school with children of other skin colours or religious beliefs! The kids were left home alone with a computer to "play with" and that was it.