Reading is an important part of our everyday life. We read almost everyday, whether it’s signs on the side of the highway, school assignments, subtitles, or even just a sign. Reading helps us in our everyday lives, unfortunately during this Covid pandemic, Covid has continued to have a negative effect on the next generations reading levels.

   In Boston, 60% of younger children are at risk of having reading problems. However, this isn’t just Boston, this involves the U.S. as a whole. Virginia studies have shown that reading levels have reached their lowest in 20 years. This problem doesn’t only involve the children who speak English, but also the children who are facing language barriers, low income housing, and have disabilities. All of these children are facing language barriers and are falling further behind. The furthest behind since 20 years ago in history.

   If children struggle to read, they will not be able to properly understand information in school. These children are more than likely to drop out of school, earn less income, and may end up being a part of the criminal justice system. There have already been small issues concerning children’s reading abilities, but since the pandemic, the problem has grown. 

   If we don’t help the younger generation become more literate, we may end up with issues in the future and have no choice but to watch children dropout of school. If the next generation drops out, we will end up with many problems, and less people to help. If the next generation can’t read, then they drop out, and if they drop out then we will not only lose the next generation but also future workers. Without being able to read we could lose our future employees in mechanics, technology, and criminal justice. Everything we need to survive will be lost if people are unable to read. Not only is this an important issue for the younger generation but also for our nation’s future. The next generation may not know what to do and it could have a negative impact on our country. Without being able to read people will not know how to build structures, fix broken things, such as pipes or anything in the house. Reading is very helpful for following instructions, finding an imaginary world where nothing goes wrong and the hero always wins. Reading opens and expands the mind, it also helps us to understand the bad from the good and help us understand things we never knew about.A disconnect with reading could cause future generations to have an educational, and social barrier. This could cause negative impacts to our nation’s future.