In session 3 of the course the main topic of discussion was "Who is poor in America? and Why are people poor in America"? I have given my beliefs on these questions this blog posting will be telling you what the government is believing to be the cause of poverty based on statistics and what they believe to be considered poor.
Who is Poor In America?
The Census Bureau is responsible for determining who is poor in America. The information used to determine the statistics is the size a family and their amount of income and composition. If a families total income is lower than the families minimum income necessary to achieve a healthy standard of living; Then every individual in that family is considered to be living in poverty. Poverty affects all ages, races and genders. But particularly the African American race, females and children. More than 15 million Americans are unemployed or homeless and 38% are receiving government food assistance.
According to the Census Bureau in 2005:
* the poverty rate for people under 18 was 12.9 million oppose to the elderly rate of poverty being 3.6 million.
*Married couples are least likely to be in poverty with a rate of 5.3% being poverty oppose to the single male rate being 12.6% in poverty.
* There are 4.2 million black women households, 5.3 million Caucasian women households and 3 million Hispanic women households in poverty.
Why are people poor?
One major cause of poverty ( poor) in America is economic recession. Recession occurs when a lack in production and consumption of goods and services decrease. Which leads to a rise in unemployment, which then leads to poverty.
People who are in poverty are likely to have food insecurity; missed meals, lack of food to eat or not food at all, insufficient health care; individuals don't receive medical care or the depend on the emergency room for their health needs, housing problems; evictions, no utilities, or unable to afford housing payments, and Inadequate child care; children care for themselves or they do not have after school activities.
Poverty is known to be Generational. They have been raised in poverty therefore their parents did not have the money or knowledge to invest in their children's education, which leads to not being able to find a decent job in the future.
6 comments:
You know, people always consider poverty a barrier to receiving education (secondary or post-secondary). Why is this? With all the public schools available why wouldn't a child be able to gain a decent education? For those who feel that the education system within the child's range (local schools) is insufficient, there are even voucher programs that allows the less priveleged kids to go to schools with a better reputation.
Additionally, federal funding such as grants, loans, and the like are available to students seeking a post-secondary education. And there are other programs funded by local governments that aid in furthering a person's education.
So what's the real barrier that hinders those struggling with poverty from getting an education. It seems to me that a lack ofeducation is not a cause, but merely a characteristic of those in poverty.
Another reason for the recession is the advancement of technology which replaces other skills that created multiple jobs for lower educated individual. These skills become outdated and non essential to job productivity. Another way to combat this is education. Although education will not diminish poverty entirely but it can spread the fluctation of currency by providing more highly unique skills that create job security.
Poverty is not generational.Basically which states that because my mother was not able to make ends meet, I wasnt able to get the proper schooling. I think that genrations that have family members who went to college and was able to take another step into their education may push or even strive to have other members do the same. But I am a sole believer that if you want something done you have to do it yourself. I say that to say that if I dont want to be poor, if I dont want poverty to be included with my name I have to do what it takes to further my education and take other necessary steps to be able to have a decent life in the future.
Lakeisha i strongly agree with poverty not being generational. Just because I was raised around a certain environment does not mean that I will grow up with that same lifestyle. But speaking in general for those few fortunate children. There are millions of children who do let their childhood and their surrounding reflect who they are in the future.
Katrina yes people are always considering education a barrier for poverty. But is it not true that the neighborhoods in poverty are those who lack a solid educational system.
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