I would not call her a typical product of the school system. She has learning disability. She went to special school.
Unfortunately, there are many people around, who do not have disability and cannot read either!
Some years ago I volunteered to help out in an adult GED class. I was to help with simple math. First problem, almost all the students, who ranged from 25 to 45 could not read. Impossible to present math problems. For example, I had one man about my age, 45, who drove a route truck. I presented the problem orally as one going to the store to buy two pounds of hamburger at $3 an lb, giving the clerk a $20 bill and expecting how much in return? The guy was not being a smart ass and said I don’t know, my wife does all the shopping. I asked how he did his route not knowing what the signs said. He said they showed me my route. Others were worse. This was a class of 20 or so who wanted to learn. I cannot imagine how many were out there who did not and did not care to learn. After a few weeks I gave up as I do not possess the talent to teach adults to read. Sad. Worse, it is probably a bigger problem today.
Some years ago I volunteered to help out in an adult GED class. I was to help with simple math. First problem, almost all the students, who ranged from 25 to 45 could not read. Impossible to present math problems. For example, I had one man about my age, 45, who drove a route truck. I presented the problem orally as one going to the store to buy two pounds of hamburger at $3 an lb, giving the clerk a $20 bill and expecting how much in return? The guy was not being a smart ass and said I don’t know, my wife does all the shopping. I asked how he did his route not knowing what the signs said. He said they showed me my route. Others were worse. This was a class of 20 or so who wanted to learn. I cannot imagine how many were out there who did not and did not care to learn. After a few weeks I gave up as I do not possess the talent to teach adults to read. Sad. Worse, it is probably a bigger problem today.