LITERACY

WHEREAS, millions of Americans, young and old, are locked in a world of ignorance by illiteracy, unable to participate meaningfully in a technological society; and

WHEREAS, the existence of these dropouts from the American Dream is a reflection of the failure of our educational systems; and

WHEREAS, illiteracy, ignorance and poverty breed themselves; and

WHEREAS, teachers represent the segment of society best prepared to teach and have the primary responsibility for education; and

WHEREAS, current efforts to eliminate illiteracy are too limited and too dependent on traditional approaches and professional instruction:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers recognizes a responsibility, extending beyond the confines of the formal educational institution, to teach the parent as well as the child, in a massive nationwide cooperative campaign to eradicate illiteracy over the next decade; and

RESOLVED, that teachers shall train sub professional aides in the use of current effective literacy programs.