How is it possible that roughly 50% of Americans can’t read above a 6th grade level and how are 21% just flat out illiterate?

If you want to know the truth, it's because America prioritizes almost everything above education in the money department. And while I enjoy making sure that Putin can't take over countries do to America's astronomically large defense budget, and help from other countries, we could probably use some of that money to help education, but you can't do that because what is cheaper/free college going to do for the military? That's right, cut in to the people who go to the military for free/cheap education. there's more to it but that's the gist, is that military eats up most of the federal spending, and then what trickles down to states, counties, and cities, is done as those people see fit. Some schools, cities and counties do well, but Michigan, and the south really aren't helping things, plus you have teachers paid poorly, who may of had a love for teaching, be stressed out all year around, and they may tell that kid who is an annoyance in class that he can have the easy book because they won't shut up and bring a nuisance, to let them read some small chapter book or something for a report than not. I've seen it happen plenty when I was in high school. But it boils down to money mostly.