A high school student from Philadelphia has drawn attention after sharing a series of videos that show his peers struggling with reading basic words and comprehending straightforward sentences.
It seems he might have had a tough time as a result of these issues.
In a TikTok video, he captures classmates at the Math, Science, Technology and Career Charter Preparatory School as they fail to read simple texts. For instance, in one clip, none of the students could read the sentence, “She wore clothes with an extraordinary but somewhat gauche silhouette.”
In a follow-up video, the next day, they struggled with the sentence, “The colonel asked the choir to fit into the governor’s schedule.”
The two videos have collectively amassed 1.7 million likes and numerous comments. However, “Whatthevek” later expressed he wouldn’t post a third video because of threats from the school administration.
“I’d really like to share part 3, but the school board is attempting to expel me, bar me from prom, and prevent me from graduating,” he mentioned in an Instagram Story on Friday.
Prep Charter, located in South Philadelphia and noted for its diversity, hasn’t replied to requests for comments.
According to state test results, only 53% of students at the school are proficient in reading, while just 19% are proficient in math.
The videos sparked significant backlash, with many criticizing the school and the parents of the students. Comments included sentiments like, “Their charter school is terrible. I had to pull my son out of his sixth-grade school. They hire anyone,” from one user.
“I wasn’t shocked that this happened in Philadelphia. I already knew prep charters weren’t preparing anyone for college,” commented another.
Moreover, local social media groups have circulated claims asserting that the school threatened expulsion for students involved in the videos.
One group mentioned, “Based on the shared content, it seems benign and does not promote violence or serious misconduct,” referencing a post from NO GUN ZONE Incorporated.
Another post noted, “Risking students’ futures over what appears to be casual engagement raises serious questions about the disciplinary actions involved.”
Statistics reveal that about 71% of fourth-graders in Philadelphia are not reading at grade level, according to a local social justice organization. The same group found that over half of the city’s adults are functionally illiterate, a notably high rate among large U.S. cities.
