“It’s scaring me”: 8th grade teacher says just 2 out of 110 students can read at grade level

An eighth-grade history teacher in Dallas, Texas, says only two of her 110 students can read at grade level, a revelation that’s reigniting fears about literacy and screen culture.

In a widely shared TikTok from Dec. 3, 2025, Ms. L broke down her students' reading abilities and warns that the issue goes beyond comprehension.

She explained how 18 of her students are only capable of reading at a kindergarten level, and nearly half of her students read between second and fourth grade levels.