Are we violating kids’ civil rights? It’s time to re-frame Fort Worth’s reading problem
Should the ability to read be considered a civil right?
Many people across the country would answer yes, and some say reading is, in fact, one of the most important civil-rights issues of our time.
As we look at reading achievement levels for children who attend the public schools that serve Fort Worth, I agree.
Nearly 60% of public school students in third through eighth grade in Fort Worth did not meet grade level for reading in 2024, according to a report from the Fort Worth Education Partnership. In the Fort Worth ISD alone, only 33% of third-graders were reading at grade level in 2024, according to STAAR test results.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Crossroads Lab — along with a number of community organizations — is sponsoring a keynote address and panel discussion Oct. 8 to explore the concept of reading as a civil right.
The free event will feature remarks by a nationally renowned legal scholar and speaker, Kimberly Jenkins Robinson. She is director of the Education Rights Institute at the University of Virginia School of Law, where she is also a professor.
Following her speech, Robinson will take part in a panel discussion that will include Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; Trenace Dorsey-Hollins, founder and executive director of Parent Shield, an organization that empowers parents to advocate for quality education; and Brent Beasley, chief executive officer of the Fort Worth Education Partnership. The discussion will be moderated by Bob Ray Sanders, communications director of the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce and former associate editor and senior columnist at the Star-Telegram.
The event — “Is Reading a Civil Right?” — will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 8, in the lecture hall at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd. You’ll need to register in advance at star-telegram.com/readingisaright to attend, as space is limited. The event will also be live-streamed on the Star-Telegram’s Facebook, YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) pages.
I’m humbled that the Star-Telegram is among a distinguished group of sponsors for this event that includes the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Fort Worth Education Partnership, Fort Worth Forum, Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce, Go Beyond Grades, Rainwater Charitable Foundation, Sid W. Richardson Foundation, Texas A&M University School of Law and United Way of Tarrant County.
It’s a four-alarm fire
The Star-Telegram’s editorial board has previously called the performance of our public schools in teaching our kids reading and math the equivalent of a four-alarm fire. Parker essentially did the same in August when she sent a letter — co-signed by 45 other community and business leaders — to the school board, saying Fort Worth ISD’s performance is unacceptable.
“For our city’s children, these results can significantly narrow their ability to access the life and opportunities that they want and deserve,” Parker wrote. “And for our city, there are significant long-term consequences in the areas of workforce, economic development, poverty, public health, and much more.”
On Aug. 1, my wife and I attended a showing of the documentary “The Right to Read” at The Modern that was part of the city Human Relation Commission’s Movies That Matter Series. The film focuses on a veteran teacher who is also an NAACP activist, two families and a teacher who are fighting for kids’ ability to read in educational systems that are lacking.
I estimate there were about 200 people in attendance, and things got tense during a Q&A with a panel of speakers afterward. Many people in attendance were upset about the Fort Worth ISD’s lack of progress, particularly in addressing gaps in achievement that affect Black children.
It’s clear that more and more people in Fort Worth are tired of the sustained failure in the Fort Worth ISD. It’s clear people want better for our children. I believe we’d see more urgency toward finding a solution if we considered this problem a violation of our children’s civil rights.
About the Star-Telegram’s Crossroads Lab
Silas Allen, an education reporter, and Lina Ruiz, an early childhood reporter, who work in the Star-Telegram’s Crossroads Lab, have written story upon story about the challenges facing our children and our education system, including gaps that affect Black and Hispanic children. Their work has helped push for change.
The Crossroads Lab is unique in that it blends the growing philanthropic model of journalism with the workings of a traditional news organization.
Our philanthropic partners fund five full-time reporters who produce hundreds of in-depth stories a year on under-covered topics around education, health care, racial equity, economic development and more. The Lab, in turn, leverages the power and reach of our parent company, McClatchy, with our platforms, vast audiences, social media, marketing, technology and legal support. It’s important to note that while donors support coverage around certain topics, they do not influence our decision-making on stories.
You can help support the Lab’s work, too, with a tax-deductible donation at star-telegram.com/donate.
The Lab’s key mission is to raise awareness and engagement about issues important to the future of our community. “Is Reading a Civil Right?” fits squarely within that mission.
I hope you’ll attend our event Oct. 8 or watch online and help push for solutions, so more Fort Worth kids can live full and vibrant lives — enabled by the ability to read.
