Monday, February 05, 2007

A Day for Which Families?

As we approach this Saturday's Family Day at the Capitol, let's hope that those who are encouraged to participate look like real families in Georgia, not an inaccurate 1950's stereotype. If the families at the capitol represent what families today really look like then:

  • Most of the families will have experienced a divorce.
  • Most adult females will be single.
  • One in five of the children and nearly ten percent of the families will be in poverty.
  • Nearly a quarter of the babies will be born to mothers who have less than 12 years education.
  • A quarter of the children will live in a household with only one parent.
  • More than ten percent of the children will live in homes where neither parent is in the labor force.
  • Of the teens there who have had a baby, nearly a quarter will have another.
  • They will be diverse.
  • Many will be uninsured.
  • More than 30% will not have graduated from high school.

My point? It's easy to have "Family Day" but much harder to actually make a commitment to improving quality of life for families. I'm tired of the fluff and ready for some substance.

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1 comment:

Tina said...

Where is Jane Addams when we need her? Maybe it's time for a return to projects like the Hull House for which Addams won the Nobel peace prize.http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/aa/addams