A case of child abuse

R-Five posts a great follow-up to a news item I posted about a “telling microcosm of modern education.” He writes --

But the fact remains, that the students are clearly being short-changed by this stubborn, unfounded, and intentional resistance to phonics. Given the undeniable importance of reading, and given the undeniably poor results of "modern" methods, this borders on child abuse.

Why should this be? R-Five provides some insightful thought.