74 is a flood?
The headline reads: "Homeless kids flood shelters and schools". It's published in the Nashville paper on February 22nd and the sub-head reads: "Economic hardship brings sharp increase in numbers, and a challenge to teachers, agencies". Flood and sharp increase is what jumps out and is expected during this harder economic time. However, the Tennessean's own chart doesn't bear the alarming headline out. Since when is an increase of 74 students out of 929,000 enrolled in 8 districts a flood?
The chart shows that Metro-Nashville, where this paper is printed, actually had a sharp decrease from last year. Wilson, Williamson and Franklin had increases...but come on...is it fair to utilize their small increases to alarm the entire area about the issue? Is anyone concerned that Williamson County, one of the wealthiest in the nation, had an increase of 2800% in homeless students and so may not have the resources necessary to handle those 28 students?
Each of these districts has enough legitimate need without manufacturing false need and crying wolf.
3 comments:
Williamson County, one of the wealthiest in the nation, had an increase of 2800% in homeless students and so may not have the resources necessary to handle those 28 students?
I'm betting the streetlight banners announcing spring are still a go.
In Wilson Co, one child I know of lives in a tent. He is not considered homeless, since he has an address, but his teachers have to contend with issues not are hard to immagine. The child has to do all of his homework at school, he has no electricity, no indoor plumbing, no central heat or air. In fact, this boy lives in harsher condition than my Amish friends in PA. He also is a child with a disability and receives Special Ed services. I wouldn't call 74 a flood either, but I really doubt that our schools, teachers, and parents find any of these challenges easy with all the other things they must deal with on a day-to-day basis. I've got a soft spot for these children and my heart aches for them. I just hope that our government does a better job of creating insentive for businesses to hire more people.
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