Opening Statement :
We clown white folks for ignorance, but let’s be real — too many of our own children can’t even read past the 4th-grade level. And we act like that’s normal. If we don’t face this, we’ll stay stuck where we are.

Exhibit A: The Evidence

  • Nationwide, reading and math scores for Black students are some of the lowest in America.
  • Functional illiteracy is common among Black youth, which means they’ll struggle their entire lives to get jobs, manage money, or even understand contracts.
  • You can’t build wealth or leadership on a foundation of ignorance.

Exhibit B: The Hypocrisy

  • We mock white ignorance, but ignore our own.
  • If someone says the truth about our schools, we scream “racism” instead of rolling up our sleeves to fix it.
  • Even in the church, we bury our heads. We’ll shout about “the system” but won’t mentor, tutor, or step in to make a difference.

The Law
Proverbs 4:7 — “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.”
God commands us to pursue wisdom, not excuses. Illiteracy is not just a social issue — it’s disobedience when we let our children grow up without knowledge.

Exhibit C: The Way Forward

  • Parents: Make reading a daily habit in your home. Even 20 minutes a night changes a child’s trajectory.
  • Churches: Stop only shouting sermons. Start literacy programs, tutoring nights, and book drives.
  • Adults: If you can read, teach. Volunteer at schools, mentor one child, or help a neighbor’s kid with homework.
  • Community: Value books more than Jordans. Knowledge outlasts sneakers.

Closing Argument
We can’t keep pointing at racism while our kids fall further behind. Excuses won’t teach them to read. The devil loves an ignorant people, because ignorance keeps us bound. If we want our communities to rise, we have to value wisdom the way God values it.

Verdict
Lord, wake us up. Break the cycle of ignorance in our homes and schools. Give us a hunger for wisdom and the courage to pass it on.