Why are the states with the lowest literacy rates all located in the South?

The same reason the US in ten years will have older transport and information systems than most of the first world and sadly a large chunk of the third world. The south is antiquated dude. It's worse in the midwest but both regions are proud of living in the past because you can't live the American Illusion while embracing the future. It's impossible and they know it. This is why there warped kids move to blue states after college.