mam1959

Naturally - what I expect of our Government leaders is leadership.

And that means telling the relevant communities that the problem of poverty and poor educational development DOES NOT mostly stem from racism, capitalism, or any other form of ism, but rather from the poor life strategy decision of having a child without an intact and stable two parent home to take care of that child. Moreover, communities must begin to stigmatize this behavior as it has given rise to a growing parasitic class economically, with fewer and fewer productive people to pay for it all.

And no - this is not some moral religious issue. It is simply a question of sound judgment and life strategy - have a kid in circumstances in which it cannot be properly cared for, and the life prospects for the mother and the child are dim.

Tough talk about sexual irresponsibility is in order. And in anticipation of arguments that this problem is due to the teaching of abstinence only education - bull - let's make people responsible for themselves. I don't at all agree with abstinence only education because it is naive and does not work - but let's tackle the problem head on, no matter how many feelings we hurt.

Kay Hymowitz, a noted researcher on marriage, points out that the women most able to handle single motherhood - in her example - the highly paid single mother senior associate/young partner at a New York law firm, rush towards marriage in droves, and have children only after they are married. They realize even at their income level that marriage is the key to their offspring having a middle class life. Of course, in some of these communities, there is a shortage of marriageable men. But that argues again that there is a significant cultural problem in these communities that is of a far greater order than that caused by any identifiable ism.

garland

Some of the students at the college I work with are moms. Or dads. The ones who were properly stigmatized (ie, thrown out of the house) are much, much less likely to graduate and be able to support their kids than the ones whose families accept the situation and help them make something of themselves. And yes, some were thrown out of the house. Maybe this is not what you meant. Perhaps a scarlet A would be better.

collegeinusa

Naturally:

Presidnet to say starting 1/1/2011 any teenager while in ghigh school who gets pregnant will be not getting any dime for rasing kids by kids. Period. Harsh yes but will it help these kids to understand, once they know money disappears very few will be doing this. Some of the kids will suffer for their action but others when they will see reality will stop these behaviours. Male kids who are impreganting these girls will also be liable for the costs. They should not be off the hook also.

Otherwise since there is no peanlty for bad behaviour, this pregancy funding for young peroon to raise kids while they are kids themsleves route will continue forever.

And tell why Presdient himself and his wife waited to raise kids as they were responsible adutls. I want president who is acomplished and has strong perosnla moral value to be a leader not a politican who will say anything to get elected. He has moral responsibility to make these kids life better as he choose to be the presdient of USA. He has to take leadership route and not just talk about it , then no one cares.

collegeinusa

Can someone move this thrad to politics section, sorry for posting in wrong place.

The reason I am advocating this harsh line as I work with these poor kids and see this problem. They do not want to hear resposnibilty message as they know taxpeyrs will be footing this bill. Some of these kids are extremely bright but they waste their life by not making right choices.

Hanna

It's not clear that the nonpregnant kids at Robeson are going to do much better in life than the pregnant ones.

There will be some small percentage that graduate, enter college or learn a trade, and have a steady life in the working or middle class. But most of them will not achieve that, whether they get pregnant in high school or not.

I'm a big fan of sex ed, but I don't think that's the issue here. Girls are getting pregnant on purpose, or by purposely leaving the possibility up to chance, because they don't have plans to do anything else that's worthwhile. Unless they believe they have something better to do, they'll take this route. Tightening restrictions on welfare did little to change this pattern.

JHS

collegeinusa, none of your posts indicates even a remote familiarity with the system of assistance for poor children. Which I suppose is commendable, since you have not needed to avail yourself of it; good for you. But your premises are pretty much 100% wrong.

Cash assistance to poor women with children is very limited, and comes with many, many strings attached involving mandatory participation in job search and training programs, and acceptance of employment. "Male kids who are impregnating these girls" ARE liable for the costs -- it's just difficult to collect from them if they don't have jobs, or are in prison, and the fact that they have debts that far exceed their ability to pay is hardly a strong incentive for them to improve their behavior.

I have no idea what you think the right thing to do is: Rip children from their mothers? Let the children starve and die? Forced abortions? More prisons, and more money spent on them?

Or . . . why don't we simply spend money on the one program that has been proven not to work -- abstinence education? Oh, we do that! It's mandated by law.

I don't think these are easy problems, and I don't have a simple solution. You seem to think there is a solution, but I have no idea what that is.

And your assumption that President Obama has some great responsibility here that he is shirking is based, as far as I can tell, entirely on his skin color. That does not reflect well on you, or make your arguments seem any stronger.

collegeinusa

JHS:

I have no foggy idea as I did not receive any funds from system of assistance for poor children why beacuse Ime and my hubby were grad students and have our first kid. Me and my hubby also worked in fast food center to suport our family. One waited and read at home withkid and second one went to work in lab and vice versa.

While living in downtown, after getting a job Ia lso taught math in my neighhoord school as many were chinese, indonasians, sauides, kuwaitis, pakistans, indians, phillipinos, kenyans, nigerains etc. were attening this school.

Most of these families came to USA with virtually no money in their pockets but knew by going to school and getting better education is only way to scape out of povrety. Many of my rfiends and our family included were ppor in our home countries and came here to study to get better life.

cottonwood513

I wouldn't assume it was male kids doing the impregnating, more likely it was male adults.

collegeinusa

Where did I say it in my post. I said that government need to give these kids a warning and then stop funding and supporting this kind of behaviour. Tell other kids that if they go this path they will be responsible for thier own actions and supporting thier kids. I know government provides, WIC, give money for housing, give health insuarnce and give money. If this transale into $50000 in life time, it is better to spend this money in prevention. Otherwise we will keep talking for next 1000 years or when taxpayers run out of money which ever come first.

collegeinusa

JHS

He ran on the platform that he will fix this country. I would have expected the same from McCain. I will expect that any president currnet or in future solve problem and take leadership position by stating facts and not what public wwants to hear that no one has to pay but get goodies. That is not real.

If you call me a racist well you can call everyone racist but still not solving problems. And I find it offensive but laugh at you thaty ou can imagine whatever you want. You can call that people are calling Obama based on skin color: I thought he has 50% color white and 50% black. he is kind of like me my skin color yellow.

collegeinusa

Hanna

I do not have statistics but if a kid is born and get $100 in food per month, 50 dollars in health coverage per monthand $50 for other living expanses per month. For 18 years it translates into aroun 31200 dollars . Then kid goes to school ang education expanses are $10,00 per year for 12 years cost $120,000. Thus these kids who are not getting pregannt and doing pregrenenacy while as a kid are not asking taxpayers to support $150,000 per child. This is really big tax break the non preganant segamnet of this school is providing to tax payers. We need to thank them publicly for their wise choices. They should be commened publicly for doin what is right.

collegeinusa

JHS

I am not white and I see everone in my liberal frieend calling everone racist on very first notion. But when time come to ask for money they do not mind my racist money.

I find it ridiculous that no one wants to punish these kids behavious for making wrong choices. When we will be able to break this cycle of poverty and misery for these kids who are bright and have intellegence like mine or your or any one of our kids?

collegeinusa

I would like a public forum where thsese things are debated and how to solve these problems and find solutions that can be implement to solve problems. It is btter to debate these issues and then followed by a decison, not what current politican ( democrat or republican ) try to do and throw under the carpet and think future congressman, senators and presdient will solve. Time is not tomorow, it is now and that is what Presdient Obama ran on this platform. That is why people took courage and voted to elect a black/white President. I find it frustating that last president Bush screwed us royally and now we are getting same shaft in political decision? Where will it end? Who will pay for it all?

Naturally

So you expect a president to magically be able to fix every problem in the country, ever.

BRB, LOLing forever.

collegeinusa

I am waiting for him to fix even one thing out of 100 or so big promises he made. I am waiting him to be not in the pocket of ACORN and not in the pocket of Goldman scahs and AIG


Bush made stupid decsions but at least he took a stand agisnt Republican and Democrat congress, I see Obama not taking any stand on any issue and going against the congress, he leaves everything to Congress and wants to rubber stamp their decsions. That is the way we get $750 billion in pet projects in stimulus bill.

BRB, LOLing forever.