A Surge in Homeless Children Tests School Aid Programs

New York Times:

The rise, to more than one million students without stable housing by last spring, has tested budget-battered school districts as they try to carry out their responsibilities -- and the federal mandate -- to salvage education for children whose lives are filled with insecurity and turmoil...

There were 679,000 homeless students reported in 2006-7, a total that surpassed one million by last spring, Ms. Duffield said.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[Please-Play-Fair]

Our public school system will continue to go downhill until we are willing to address one fundamental area: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. Illegal immigration continues to bring non-English speaking kids into our schools. Our teachers are then forced to teach to the "lowest common denominator" ... which happens to be the kids that can't speak english. English speak citizens are not able to excel because the focus from the teachers is to get as many kids as possible to "pass".

This "illegal" population continues to grow at a rate the our country can not support. We have AMERICAN citizens (children) that should 100% be our priority to teach and make successful.

We need to stop with the "compassion" and focus on helping the American citizens first. And ... if someone sneaks over the border illegally ... then has a child ... I don't consider them to be legitimate citizens. Sorry ... but this law needs to change.

[harriettubman]

And to think many schools STILL don't want sex ed taught in the classrooms. People are having too many children they can't support. The basics for living is food, clothing & shelter PLUS love, quality time and quantity time. If you can't offer those things perhaps you're not ready to be a parent.

It's another story to be a loving parent then lose your job, which makes you homeless. However, I'm seeing folks who are spawning too much and can't afford to feed these children. Enough of this. I'm tired of seeing innocent children starving, unloved, abandoned, neglected, homeless and so many others fateful things when they didn't ask to even come here!

[minimalist syntax]

Don't you think a lot of people who are currently homeless did not anticipate they would ever be in this situation?

[Please-Play-Fair]

Fair question. But I think that most of these people (not all) were living well out of their means. If both my wife and I lost our jobs today (BTW, my wife did lose her job) ... we could downsize our home appropriately and still live and provide for our kids.

That is because we lived within our means. We never count on any government programs for income now or in the future. We had 2 kids even if we could have afforded 4 or 5. Why? Because we wanted to provide a quality of life for our kids that is still within our financial means.

It is not a surprise to know that people come to the US illegally, have 4-5 kids and then abuse the American system for health care, education, and avoid taxes. The more kids they have, the more $$ from the government. We promote bad behavior.

I'm not saying this is the case for many of the people in this article, but clean out those who abuse it ... and have people live within their means ... and this is likely not even a headline anymore.

[Biyobi]

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Where are ALL of the sanctimonious holier-than-thou hypocrite so-called Christians STEPPING UP to help these homeless children?

Oh yeah... These moral nitwits are killing doctors and storming clinics to CREATE MORE of these children.

Geniuses.
. . . . . . . . . . . .

[theredqueen]

All that compassionaate conservatism - brings to mind Dicken's character study of Scrooge who famously asked "are there no prisons? are there no workhouses?".

[stevehamlin]

. . . or Swift's "Modest Proposal" . . .

[Alarmist]

This is heartbreaking.

I hope these kids watch Obama's speech, and I hope he tells them that studying hard, no matter what your situation, is the only way to get out of that situation. If they think going to college is a viable option for them, then there is hope.

[harriettubman]

I've heard some of the most asinine parents saying they didn't want their kids to watch Obama in school. Why? They want prayer in school, which opens the doors for Satanic, Islamic and other denominations to pray as well. They're just a bunch of hypocritical people with children.

From what I've heard of Obama's message is to stay in school and not expect a good job if you drop out. If those asinine parents don't want their kids to hear that perhaps they'll fall into that category.

[LHoney]

Rethugs in training...

[minimalist syntax]

I saw one Republican woman in tears that her child would have to listen to that. She says: politics belongs in the home and should stay out of the public arena. I found it very bizarre.

[moveyourimage]

Eight years of the Republicult leadership proudly exalt the success of capitalistic gain: Homeless Children. I am sure that the Right is now praying for those they preyed upon, with nothing else to offer. By keeping people hungry and uneducated they will keep them down - just where they want them. The world is watching and laughing. It's a disgrace.

[epiphany1234]

11th Republican response:
" We'll give tax credits to their parents...!"

[epiphany1234]

Republican response:
"The American people cannot be expected to put roofs over the heads of their homeless children....!"

2nd Republican response:
"No roof?.....in America EVERYBODY has a chance to succeed....!"

3rd Republican response:
""What have these homeless children done to help themselves? I got a roof....why can't they get theirs?

4th Republican response:
"W-h-o-o-o­-o-o-o-o's gonna pay for it?"

5th Republican response:
"Divert one billion from the defense budget to construct homes for homeless children? ....
SOCIALISM!!!!!!!"

6th Republican response:
"We'll consider putting roofs over their heads....soon as we figure how the banks will profit......"

7th Republican response:
"The school gyms are vacant at night.?..can't they use them?"

8th Republican response:
"He.ll, next they'll be demanding a decent education ....!"

9th Republican response:
"We can't let government get between children and their homelessness...."

10th Republican response:
"This homelessness thing....that's between those children and their parents...."!

Democratic response:
"Wonder what would happen if we took the millions of unemployed and had 'em fix up some of the vacant foreclosed homes and turned them over to the homeless families.....ya think we can get bipartisan support?? (scraches heads....)

[sophierose]

The late, great Senator from New York, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, is so despeately needed now. He
proposed a "basic wage" for Americans. Sort of a subsistance payment to get people through hard times. It was not welfare, it was to help the underpaid workers get the basic necessities. If we ended all the wars of choice and all foreign subsidies to wealthy countries, we could afford it. We keep hearing how Social Security is going "broke" yet millionaires of retirement age automatically get Social Security, how nuts is this? Plus, they get Medicare. So much could be done for the needy, if we stopped the nonsense.

[alwaysthere]

and with Jon Voight as Mike Huckabees spiritual adviser

how long could it be before Jesus shows up !

[helonias]

Is. 58:10. "And if you give yourself to the hungry, and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness, and your gloom will become like midday. And the LORD will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones; and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail."
Luke 14:12-14. "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return, and repayment come to you. But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
Luke 12:44. "Sell your possessions and give alms; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
Mt. 19:20ff. The young man said to Him, "All these commands I have kept; what am I still lacking?" Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

[carolinecantoo]

And then the young man walked away sorely vexed. Another words he said,"hell no!"

[Bude]

As Rush_Limbaugh says, "get a job!"

[alwaysthere]

Let's just think of them as "the little lambs of sacrifices"

for the religious right to offer up to their great and powerful god.

[helonias]

One Nation Under God

Who's kid said

Jer. 22:3. Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place.
Luke 12:33. "Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys."
Luke 3:11. And [John the Baptist] would answer and say to them, "Let the man with two tunics share with him who has none, and let him who has food do likewise."
Mt. 5:42. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

But do we listen?

[wdcvhi]

It's a book of fiction, don't quote it during a debate about facts.

[helonias]

Like the Repubs don't

Or do you only use it to attack gays?

[alwaysthere]

parables gently guide us in the right direction without breaking the twig

facts are more the chain saw of tree trimming

[bipolarbear]

I've been wondering how long it would be before the housing/foreclosure crisis became a homeless crisis. No one saw this coming?