Literacy is a right, and protecting that right requires unity.

Latecia Fox age 24 (background)

Clarice Jackson has been a staunch advocate for effective reading instruction, dyslexia awareness, and educational equity for over twenty years. Her journey began when she became the legal guardian of nine-year-old Latecia Fox, who faced challenges in reading and writing. Upon discovering that Latecia had dyslexia, Jackson delved into special education law and structured literacy. With the right support, Latecia transformed into a confident reader.

This experience inspired Clarice to establish the Voice Advocacy Center, found Decoding Dyslexia Nebraska, and launch Black Literacy Matters. In 2014, she also authored the NAACP's dyslexia resolution, elevating dyslexia and reading failure as "civil-rights concerns." Jackson now calls on all literacy advocates to unite under a clear message: this is not the time for assigning blame or competing for recognition. It is time to collaborate on evidence-based reading instruction, teacher training, parent support, and accountability.

Kareem Weaver Co-Founder & Executive Director of FULCRUM

According to Clarice, parents are among the most influential proponents of student literacy reform. It is essential for families to be informed, included, and supported as they champion effective instruction and services. While individual advocacy can significantly impact a child's life, enduring progress necessitates coordinated systemic efforts.

Following the tragic loss of Latecia to gun violence shortly after her 24th birthday, Clarice became even more resolute in her commitment to supporting children, pledging to do so until this system is changed.

Clarice Jackson's 'Reconstruction Literacy Paradox' explores the contradiction between the promise of literacy and the inadequacy of effective reading instruction. During the Reconstruction era, newly emancipated Black Americans sought literacy as a means to achieve freedom, citizenship, and political influence. However, literacy tests were subsequently manipulated to disenfranchise Black voters. While literacy was promoted as a democratic ideal, it was simultaneously employed as a mechanism for exclusion.

In her work, Jackson observes a comparable contradiction in contemporary education. Schools advocate literacy as both a fundamental right and a gateway to opportunity. However, certain students, particularly Black students and those with dyslexia, continue to lack access to explicit, systematic, evidence-based reading instruction. This discrepancy results in institutional failure, as educational systems pledge equity yet permit practices that leave children without essential reading skills.

https://youtu.be/cUB17SvjBYA?si=rVOt1v5tcNupszD2

Literacy Now Together

In a recent episode of Literacy Now Together, Jackson, alongside Kareem Weaver of Fulcrum and Brett Tingley of Parents for Reading Justice, advocates for collaboration among NAACP branches, Decoding Dyslexia chapters, educators, parents, and community organizations. Her framework addresses this issue not merely as a curriculum debate, but as a matter of civil rights and justice. It is imperative that parents, educators, policymakers, civil rights organizations, and advocates collectively ensure that every child receives the instruction necessary to become a proficient reader. Jackson's core message is clear: literacy is a right, and safeguarding that right demands unity.