To Our Readers

No skill is more crucial to the future of a child--or to a democratic and prosperous society--than literacy. Yet too often our California schools fail in the basic task of teaching our children to read.

The Times has long made education a major part of its coverage. As California’s largest newspaper--and one of the few institutions that touches all corners of the Southland--The Times has a responsibility to call attention to the challenges we face and to help our communities in their search for solutions.

Today we begin a long-term effort to focus the attention on reading--where we succeed, where we fail and what we can do about it. Working together, Californians are capable of creating an educational system that teaches every child to read. And the future of our economy, of our democracy and of our children depends on it.

MICHAEL PARKS, Editor

*

* EDITORIAL--We will help, prod, insist: whatever it takes to help ensure fluent reading skills.M4