I'm willing to believe this. But I wonder what is meant by "functionally illiterate?" Can't read prescription instructions? So, if I make a mistake and take 2 of pill X and 1 of pill Y just before I go to bed when my presciption instructions say to take 1 of pill X and 2 of pill Y (and normally I get that correct), is THAT an instance of not reading my prescription instructions correctly? What about if I do not take my pills at night -- contrary to prescription instructions -- is that considered not reading the instructions properly? Maybe I'M functionally illiterate? If the exit sign says Parker and I get off because I was thinking it was Park . . . is that functionally illiterate (along about 5 miles of a central artery we have "Parker," "Park," and "Plano Parkway." )? Relative to filling out forms, have you filled out any forms lately? Half the time they don't give you enough room to write in the requested information and the other half of the time they ask for information that I'm going to have to look up, so I defer filling in that information and fill out the rest. If I forget to go back and fill in the omitted information is that deemed an instance of functional illiteracy? I think these are reasonable questions.
But do I believe that half the people in Detroit cannot read English at an adequate level? Sure. Can they read the manual of their car well enough to change the car clock time on the twice-yearly time change? Can they read the manual of their car well enough to reset their oil life register? Can they read the instructions in the Timex wristwatch box well enough to set or unset an alarm on their watch? Can they read the instructions for their iPhone well enough to do complicated functions of their iPhone without having someone show and talk them through how to do it? Can they read a news paper article, detect bias, and account for that bias in forming an opinion on the topic discussed in the article? Sure, I believe half the people living in the city limits of Detroit -- not in Dearborn -- would have difficulty meeting those qualifications.
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