Nearly half of Detroit residents can't read

Detroit - A recent study discovered that nearly half of Detroit, Michigan's residents are considered illiterate and cannot even compete in a entry-level job market.

Research conducted by the Detroit Regional Workforce Fund has discovered that a whopping 47 percent of people who live in Detroit cannot read. In the researcher's own words, adults in Detroit are “functionally illiterate.” Daily tasks such as reading food labels, street signs and even filling out job applications in a place with concerning unemployment currently are near impossible for almost half of Detroit residents. The research also discovered that almost all of these adults who cannot read have completed grade school, which teaches the fundamentals of literacy. Also, these same people either hold a high school diploma or GED. The Detroit Regional Workforce Fund's director, Karen Tyler-Ruiz, was cited as saying on CBS Detroit: "I don't really know how they get by, but they do. Are they getting by well? Well, that's another question." Tyler-Ruiz also explained that only about 10 percent of those who cannot read have sought out help. Unfortunately, Detroit is not the only Michigan city that is suffering from high levels of illiteracy. The cities of Pontiac, Inkster and Southfield have all at least 30 percent of illiterate residents, reports Daily Mail. Because of this alarming number, residents are not qualified for even entry-level positions. While the surrounding Metro Detroit area sees employment growth, the city itself continues to see dismal results in employment as cited by Upgrade Detroit. Labor force also continues to decline within Detroit, which accounts for people who are both employed or actively looking for work. Recent census reports show that Detroit also saw a drastic decrease in population, now being at its lowest since 1901, as reported here on Digital Journal.