More (not so) fun facts:
54% of American adults read below a 6th grade level.
21% read below a 5th grade level, which is considered functionally illiterate.
High immigration numbers don’t fully explain it either, as first gen immigrants only make up about 1/3 of those with low literacy.
I’ve always wondered why the old timers across the globe have always pushed education this hard with the youth. This is why. The consequences of proud ignorance are catastrophic.