[Maceman]

There are many reasons for the blight of illiteracy that has descended upon our countries youth . . . . Together these two obstacles to our children’s success . . .

Pity that the writer hasn't managed to master the use of plurals when writing formal expository prose on the subject of illiteracy.

Two serious grammatical mistakes in one paragraph. I mean really.

(Signed)

The Apostrophe Police

[The Rant]

Good to see you stuck to the content as asked.

[auntdot]

Sorry, disagree. Countries was clearly a typo.

But "children's" I believe is correct. Children is pleural and to make the possessive the apostrophe should go before the 's'.

[Steely Glint]

"There are many reasons for the blight of illiteracy that has descended upon our countries youth..."

No, there's ONE reason: the stupid American Left, which wants teachers to teach only feel-good nonsense instead the English, math, and science that they SHOULD be teaching.