Slight correction to my dollar figures-- a family of one mom, two kids, receives $532.00 month in MFIP benefits, plus an additional $269.00 for food. Imagine paying rent on that. The $437 figure is for a single parent/caregiver and one child. Ooops, sorry.
> GDL: > > Bravo to Lynnell on this. While we hear a lot about choice and > opportunity, I'm not sure folks truly understand the crushing, > overwhelming effect of poverty on a caregiver and his or her children. > I'm not sure people understand how a family gets by on $437.00 month > in benefits for two children, plus food stamps. I'm not sure people > understand how a mother of four supports her kids on an $8.00/hr job, > and then be expected to pay rent, buy clothes, and have the time to > figure out and choose a particularly great or even adequate school. > Choice of schools? Sure, it exists, and the opportunities are set up > to be there (and the schools should be credited for offering a route > for equity), but seeing the crushing effect of poverty on families I > deal with everyday is distressing, particularly when they > cannot--dare I say cannot-- get on that route that has been offered > them. I'm beyond depressed (and I'm sure many teachers and others > are as well) of seeing children punished by poverty and its > incredibly complex destructive force on their parents/caregivers. > Enough already. Let's deal with that elephant that Lynnell > recognizes and acknowledges, and that Wizard Marks so forcefully raises. > > Gregory Luce > Phillips _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
