| Online: | |
| Visits: | |
| Stories: |
| Story Views | |
| Now: | |
| Last Hour: | |
| Last 24 Hours: | |
| Total: | |
A National Disgrace: Number of Homeless Students Reaches Record Levels
(Photo: scribbletaylor)
Of all the compelling statistics about a nation that is seeing most of its wealth consolidated in the hands of a few oligarchs, one of the most distressing is that the number of homeless students in the United States is rising every year – and is currently at record levels.
The Huffington Post recently reported on a government study that provided the statistical proof:
The number of homeless students in the United States reached a record high during the 2012-13 school year, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Education.
The report released Monday shows that homeless children enrolled in public preschool and grades K-12 jumped 8 percent from the previous school year to hit 1,258,182.
Yes, that is more than 1.25 million students in the United States who meet the definition of being homeless. It is hard to think of a greater indication of the degradation of values in the US than this trend.
The student homelessness spike is related to another lamentable fact that demonstrates how this country comes up horribly short on compassion. According to the Huffington Post,
The U.S. childhood poverty rate hit its highest level in 20 years back in 2010 and it’s showing no signs of letting up, a recent report concluded.
More than 16 million American children live in poverty – a staggering reality that leads to devastating health risks, in addition to overwhelming economic disadvantages, according to a new study published by JAMA Pediatrics.
The figures have remained unchanged since they peaked in 2010 and federal spending on children dropped by more than $20 billion since that year.
It would be difficult not to draw a correlation between the dramatic drop in support services for children in need and the rise in student homelessness, amidst a sea of children in poverty. However, there is a more direct economic factor at work: The current financial system in the United States is premised on there being winners and losers. That is the Ayn Rand principle espoused by the likes of the GOP budget spokesperson, Congressman Paul Ryan.
Source: http://truthisscary.com/2014/10/a-national-disgrace-number-of-homeless-students-reaches-record-levels/
