Learning to Read

Monday, January 05 2009 | Send to a friend

Learning to Read

Lucy and Kiasha Collins - larger >>

People who don't know how to read are often good at hiding it, but the numbers are high. In Durham, N.C., where Kiasha and Lucy Collins live, as many as 24% of city residents read below basic levels.

Kiasha made it all the way to 11th grade without learning how to read. After her children were born, she realized illiteracy was the biggest hurdle she and her family faced. She began attending reading classes, and a short time later, inspired her 68-year-old grandmother Lucy to join her. The two women talk to Dick Gordon about what it's like to ride the bus, sign a lease, and give medicine to children without knowing how to read. And they talk about how learning to read could impact every generation in their family.

• Learn about the center where Kiasha and Lucy are learning to read

A Little Justice

Mitch Berns

Mitch Berns faced a moment air travelers know only too well. When he checked the status of his flight home from a blissful vacation with his wife, he found that his airline had rebooked him because of bad weather. On any other trip home, he might have shrugged and put up with the red-eye and the extra layover. But this not time - Mitch was convinced the bad weather was just an excuse, and he took the airline to small claims court.

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