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1) A tiny percentage of people have photographic memories and might indeed learn to read with sight-words.

2) Most people who think they learned to read with sight-words actually did something different. They grasped the phonics inside the sight-words, solved the mystery of phonetic language, and proceeded normally.

3) If one does have a freaky ability, why mention that to other people who are struggling with more normal situations? I don't get the point. We can't extrapolate from someone's atypical experience to how we should organize public schools.

4) Thanks for the many smart comments. Yes, phonics is the only way. Yes, please start early so you can inoculate your kids against what might happen in the public schools. (For the basics on teaching young children to read, see "Preemptive Reading." http://www.improve-education.org/id81.html )

As I said, I have nothing like a photographic memory,quite the opposite - so please stop repeating that meme. You are coming on like a fanatic.
I call what you say nonsense - bordering on lunacy - because not one person I grew up with ever had a reading problem. Not one. And some of them came into school not even speaking English, the children of Polish, Japanese Yugoslav and French diplomatic staff. They were all speaking and reading English within six months.

A tiny percentage of people have photographic memories...

Don't I wish.

Sorry, but we don't all belong to your religion.