Alva Review-Courier -

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Kristine Bowman, Michigan State University

(THE CONVERSATION) A federal appeals court has found that children have a constitutional right to an opportunity to learn how to read.

The decision on April 23 in a case involving the Detroit public school system finally answers a question the Supreme Court has avoided for nearly four decades: Is there a federal right to a basic education in the United States?

Although state constitutions each contain a right to education, state courts int...