(Direct copy from the document)
11. Punishment for teaching slaves or free persons of color to read. -- If any slave, Negro, or free person of color, or any white person, shall teach any other slave, Negro, or free person of color, to read or write either written or printed characters, the said free person of color or slave shall be punished by fine and whipping, or fine or whipping, at the discretion of the court.
The slaves were not allowed to teach orread and write. They needed to lie to the slave owners if they could read or write because if they knew they could think themselves as human which the slave owners did not want it to happen. The owners wanted the slaves to feel as if they were animals and they need to act like one. If they knew how to comunicate they might plane on rebel or going against.
Source - http://academic.udayton.edu/race/02rights/slavelaw.htm#11.
11. Punishment for teaching slaves or free persons of color to read. -- If any slave, Negro, or free person of color, or any white person, shall teach any other slave, Negro, or free person of color, to read or write either written or printed characters, the said free person of color or slave shall be punished by fine and whipping, or fine or whipping, at the discretion of the court.
The slaves were not allowed to teach orread and write. They needed to lie to the slave owners if they could read or write because if they knew they could think themselves as human which the slave owners did not want it to happen. The owners wanted the slaves to feel as if they were animals and they need to act like one. If they knew how to comunicate they might plane on rebel or going against.
Source - http://academic.udayton.edu/race/02rights/slavelaw.htm#11.