A shocking statistic.

Nearly half (47%) of adults in the city of Detroit are functionally illiterate.

The article blames the teachers union, but in truth they bear only part of the shame.  The culture in the African American community doesn't just not value academic success, it actively discourages it.  It is seen as being "white," and any kid that begins to excel in school in Detroit will probably have to worry about physical violence from his/her classmates. The result is Detroit, where a dysfunctional city makes little to no effort to educate a hostile populace, and a descent back to barbarism accelerates.

Culture matters.