Michigan's Homeless Students: Foreclosure Crisis Takes Toll On 31,000 Kids

Free Press:

First of four parts

Like a silent epidemic, the number of homeless children in Michigan schools is growing.

In the 2010-11 school year, more than 31,000 homeless students attended school -- 8,500 more than in the previous school year, a 37% spike attributed to the weak economy, loss of jobs and the foreclosure crisis. Overall, the number of homeless students in Michigan has jumped more than 300% in the last four years. Most experts say those numbers are low because many parents are embarrassed to admit they are homeless. And many school districts lack the resources to identify these kids, as required by federal law.

Read the whole story: Free Press

Comments

[edsimon77]

01:30 PM on 12/18/2011

What is defined as homeless? Because some studies define it as a nuclear family living with grandma or other relatives.

[miaontia]

12:51 PM on 12/18/2011

What exactly did Granholm do for Michigan those 8 years she was "Occupying" Lansing?

[Michele Bennington]

10:48 AM on 12/18/2011

Michigan isn't the only state living with this silent epedemic. In Charlotte, NC we have seen a sharp increase in the numbers of students that are living in cars, motels and the woods. A 35% increase, close to 3k kids. Of course the media only interviews African American and Latino families that are living without shelter, but I would guess that there are plenty of white folks in this situation as well.

Many of those interviewed lost their minimum wage part time jobs and were just pushed over the edge by that loss of income. Our shelters are full, and the roach coach hotels that rent to the homeless charge exorbitant rates, and once families have run out of money....there outta there.

So here's my question to Mitt...you want foreclosures to follow their natural course, throw the people out and let the banks rent the homes. Fine for the banks, I guess. Not so much for the homeless families, and the unemployed. In order to rent you need a job to pay that rent. Not to mention the close to 2,000 dollars it takes to move into a place...1st last month rent, deposit, deposit for utilities...

Kinda hard to do if you don't have a job, or trying to live on unemployment.

So Mitt, can ya get housing for America's homeless kids? What about jobs with liveable wages for their parents?

[gbp91]

11:46 AM on 12/18/2011

the government does not get housing for people? that is why the problem is so bad. too many people make poor choices and there are consequences for those poor choicies. dont have babies till you can afford them. learn a trade, enlist in the military or go to college. preferably do all three.

[Michele Bennington]

01:59 PM on 12/18/2011

Well gbps, many of today's homeless have college degrees, (they lost their jobs).

Our homeless population is being fed by our returning vets who can't get jobs with livable wages.

We now have more homeless female vets than men, (who are the caretakers for children) and the trades people learn in the military don't usually translate into jobs in civilian life.

When was the last time you priced going to college anyway....1950?

Don't have babies until you can afford them? Well, most of the homeless kids are in middle or high school. Presumeably when their parents were working and had health care...you know....before Bush sucked up all our money into 2 wars, then bailed out the banks

Anymore questions?

[edsimon77]

01:31 PM on 12/18/2011

You must have missed the 60 minutes report a few weeks ago. The big bad media featured several families living in cars in Florida 2 out of the 3 were white.

Why is it always about race with some people?

[Michele Bennington]

02:00 PM on 12/18/2011

It usually is about race.