.
TAKING THE BITES OFF THE DINNER TABLE WILL TAKE A BITE OUT OF GENERATIONAL POVERTY WHATEVER THAT MEANS! sung to “ If I had a Hammer”
FLINT, MI- assembled by Terry Bankert 09/26/12
HAMMER OUT A WARNING, ANOTHER ATTACK ON THE POOR!
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=IF+I+HAD+A+HAMMER&mid=292B533E1072F485D03D292B533E1072F485D03D&view=detail&FORM=VIRE2
“HAMMER IN THE MORNING” TO INCREASE THE COUNT BY SCARING THE PARENTS
As a way to keep youths off the streets and in the classroom, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is requiring kids ages 6-15 to attend school regularly in order for their families to be eligible for welfare cash benefits. [5]
The State of Michigan is laying down some new rules when it comes to welfare. If you're a parent of school age children, they better attend class regularly or you risk losing your benefits. [7]
The policy takes effect two days before Michigan's fall Count Day, when attendance is used to determine 90 percent of a school district's per-pupil funding from the state.[4]
research has found that chronically high absenteeism is the strongest predictor of dropping out of high school.
A May report by Robert Balfanz, a researcher at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education, says academic achievement, especially in math, is very sensitive to attendance, and missing two weeks in one semester can affect outcomes. Attendance also affects standardized test scores and graduation and dropout rates, Balfanz said.
He studied six states — not including Michigan — and found chronic absenteeism was most prevalent among low-income students and had highest rates in kindergarten and again in ninth to 12th grade, with seniors having the highest rates of all students.
Transportation is often the problem for older students who rely on mass transit to get to school, he said, while family issues dominate whether youngster make it to school.
"You find poverty as the main driver of absenteeism. They have family responsibilities from sibling care to elder care, to paying the electric bill. The family is under a lot of pressure," Balfanz said. "In these high poverty communities, kids are raising themselves."[7]
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY
In the 2010-11 school year, attendance fell below 75 percent on 10 days, costing DPS $4.2 million in state per-pupil aid. State law requires all districts to have at least 75 percent of students in class to receive their full allocation for the day.
On Nov. 24, 2010, when 75,895 students were enrolled, 33,178, or 43.7 percent, showed up. On June 16, 2011 — the last day of school — 41 percent of students attended.[7]
The Detroit News reports that 93,408 cases of truancy were reported in Michigan schools during the 2011-12 school year. That's an increase of about 10,000 since 2010-11.[5]
Linking welfare payments to school absences is intended to “take a bite out of generational poverty” through education, according to a state agency.[1]
Punishing low-income families won’t help kids succeed in school. It will simply exacerbate factors that make it more difficult for them to attend, further deepening Michigan’s education crisis.[4]
Some of the people targeted by this new plan say it's just not that simple. There are a lot of reasons why kids can't make it to school and taking away the entire family's state aid they feel is not the answer.[7]
"I think it's very unfair, and I think it's very stupid. I mean, it doesn't make sense," said Ebony Boost, who has three children and is currently on welfare.[7]
DHS EMBEDDING WITH THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, = BIG BROTHER
Starting Monday, parents applying for some welfare benefits through the state Human Services Department will have to prove their children are regularly attending class.[1]
CPS IS ALREADY THERE
A referral must be made to child protective services and the school district truancy officer, per local school district procedure, if it is verified a dependent child age 6 to 17 is not enrolled/attending a public school or is not participating in an organized education program.[2]
A student is considered truant in Michigan when he or she has 10 or more unexcused absences per school year.[4]
SISS BOM BAAA
The move is being cheered by school districts, though some advocates say truancy affects families of all incomes and the policy unfairly focuses those who are struggling.[1]
Hunger, transportation, lack of proper school uniforms and sexually transmitted diseases are among the reasons students give DHS social workers for not attending school. Caseworkers say they use public and nonprofit resources to help reroute students to school.[7]
DrTim
“It’s just unacceptable for children to be chronically absent”.[1]
Absolutely! Then too, many of these parents are home much of the day and there is no excuse for not getting their kids off to school. I have witnessed this first hand hundreds of times. [1]
OPTIONS, OPTIONS, OPTIONS
Correspondence or Web-based courses administered by a school or used as part of a home school curriculum are acceptable.[2]
“ HAMMER IN THE EVENING” EDUCATION OF STARVATION
But Human Services Department spokesman Dave Akerly said the goal is to make sure children are getting the education they need.[1]
WEIGHT LOSS PLAN
“We’re trying to take a bite out of generational poverty, and one way to do that is get kids to stay in class and finish school,” he said.[1]
STATE TO SAVE $336,960,000.00
The policy goes into effect on Monday, and affects new applicants others as they work through an annual review. The state has about 60,000 cases, and the average family in the program receives about $468 a month, he said.[1]
Reaching out to families and helping them deal with the problems they face is no guarantee that their children will stop missing school. But it is a far better way to convince them that school attendance is crucial to their kids' success in life than making them suffer more.
A DHS spokesman called the new policy a “carrot and a stick,” but it’s aimed at people that have already had more than their share of tough knocks. The “stick” should be our last resort.[4]
Also, enrollment and attendance will be verified twice — at the annual reviews and each birthday for children 16, 17 and 18 — ages at which dropout and truancy rates are higher.
Families with children who lose benefits for truancy must then prove a child has attended school for 21 consecutive calendar days before they can regain cash-aid eligibility. Proof can be obtained by a parent from their child's school.[6]
THE IRRESPONSIBLE RIGHT WING CHECKS IN
getyokids
Since school just started why not include everybody? They also should make truancy home visits this way School officials would get to see how the child is living in the home. If a child misses more than 10 days ticket the parent and those on welfare cut them off. This will not only make the parent responsible ,it will curb some of the crime and help the child.[1]
nowaygreatlakesbay
Just put these kids with responsible families and cut the parents off completely. Let them either get their act together or seek the dole in some other state.[1]
Willieswife
You are so right!!!! I know of several people who go to food banks to feed themselves after they have sold their food stamps to buy drugs or alchohol. It is just plain disgusting that this goes on.[1]
THE MAJORITY MIDDLE GROUND RAISES ITS VOICE
bodrell
How is it "unfair" to focus on "those who are struggling"? Are the ones who are "struggling" not the ones who most need the help and incentives? Yes, truancy can be a problem in Grand Blanc as well as Flint. But Flint city school district has a 23.6% truancy rate, compared to Grand Blanc Community Schools at 1.3% according to the below mlive link.
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2012/03/... [1]
A WORD FROM THE RESPONSIBLE LEFT
zackwest
We have a really depressing society. Prisons are filling up so fast. Property taxes are oppressive. Home ownership is provisional and on contingency basis at all times. Jobs have been permanently lost to automation. Your grand children have no future job prospects - everything will be done by machines owned by top 1% in this country. [1]
THIS IS THE RICH NERDS, Michigan Governor Snyder, IDEA WHO ONCE AGAIN IS CLUELESS
But advocates for people in need said the policy might be short-sighted. Judy Putnam, spokeswoman for the Michigan League of Human Services, said there is no doubt that children need to be in school.[3]
But, she said, Gov. Snyder needs to focus on a plan that targets all truant students and not just those in struggling families. She said it’s hard to tell what percentage of chronically absent students come from homes receiving cash assistance.[3]
“Until you walk a mile in those persons’ shoes, it’s difficult to understand why those children are absent,” she said.[3]
“Families in need often lack reliable transportation, they don’t have a support system when children are sick and they don’t have reliable work schedules. They need this assistance.”[3]
EDUCATION IS NO LONGER A FRIENDLY NURTURING ENVIRONMENT
Parents must provide a form completed by their schools indicating children are complying with the attendance policy. The state also has a plan for parents who are homeschooling their children.[1]
HOMESCHOOLING FOR THE POOR WITH BADASS TEENAGERS ON THE RISE
Akerly said there are provisions for special circumstances, such as an extended sickness.[1]
LEGAL GUARDIANS CODE WORD FOR OPPRESSED GRANDPARENTS
Parents and legal guardians must direct and oversee the home schooling of their dependent child in an organized educational program. The parent or legal guardian is responsible for assigning homework, giving tests and grading tests. If home schooling continues through grade 12, the parent or legal guardian issues a high school diploma to the graduate. The organized educational program must include the subject areas of reading, spelling, mathematics, science, history, civics, literature, writing, and English grammar. Home school families may purchase the textbooks and instructional material of their choice. Parents or legal guardians are encouraged to maintain student records of progress throughout the year. There are no required tests for a home school student, but the parent or legal guardian is responsible for administering tests based upon the curriculum they use.[2]
But advocates for people in need said the policy might be hurt some families without helping solve the overall problems with school attendance.[1]
“ HAMMER ALL OVER THIS LAND”
Judy Putnam, spokeswoman for the Michigan League of Human Services, said there is no doubt that children need to be in school. But she said it’s hard to tell what percentage of chronically absent students come from homes receiving cash assistance.[1]
It’s no secret that kids living in poverty are far more likely to miss school, often starting at a very young age. Locally, we’ve learned that by working with families — understanding the reasons that their children are missing school and linking them with services that solve their problems — we can make dramatic differences in attendance rates.[4]
The bottom line is the parents who are on assistance and get their students to school do not have anything to worry about. Those who don't could have a real impact on their bottom line.[8]
SOURCES
[1]
http://www.mlive.com/education/index.ssf/2012/09/new_michigan_policy_linking_we.html#incart_river
[2]
http://www.mfia.state.mi.us/OLMWeb/exf/BP-2012-016.pdf
[3]
http://www.mlive.com/education/index.ssf/2012/09/educators_say_linking_welfare.html
[4]
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20120925/OPINION01/309250026/Why-punish-poor-?odyssey=nav%7Chead
[5]
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2012/09/michigan_policy_links_school_a.html
[6]
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120925/METRO/209250373/Truant-kids-cost-families-state-aid?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE
[7]
http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/19633772/michigan-families-to-lose-welfare-benefits-for-too-much-truancy
[8]
http://www.wnem.com/story/19640495/families-who-get-assistance-must-get-children-to-school-or-risk-losing-it
[9]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_I_Had_a_Hammer
[10]
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=IF+I+HAD+A+HAMMER&mid=292B533E1072F485D03D292B533E1072F485D03D&view=detail&FORM=VIRE2
TAKING THE BITES OFF THE DINNER TABLE WILL TAKE A BITE OUT OF GENERATIONAL POVERTY WHATEVER THAT MEANS! sung to “ If I had a Hammer”
FLINT, MI- assembled by Terry Bankert 09/26/12
HAMMER OUT A WARNING, ANOTHER ATTACK ON THE POOR!
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=IF+I+HAD+A+HAMMER&mid=292B533E1072F485D03D292B533E1072F485D03D&view=detail&FORM=VIRE2
“HAMMER IN THE MORNING” TO INCREASE THE COUNT BY SCARING THE PARENTS
As a way to keep youths off the streets and in the classroom, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is requiring kids ages 6-15 to attend school regularly in order for their families to be eligible for welfare cash benefits. [5]
The State of Michigan is laying down some new rules when it comes to welfare. If you're a parent of school age children, they better attend class regularly or you risk losing your benefits. [7]
The policy takes effect two days before Michigan's fall Count Day, when attendance is used to determine 90 percent of a school district's per-pupil funding from the state.[4]
research has found that chronically high absenteeism is the strongest predictor of dropping out of high school.
A May report by Robert Balfanz, a researcher at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education, says academic achievement, especially in math, is very sensitive to attendance, and missing two weeks in one semester can affect outcomes. Attendance also affects standardized test scores and graduation and dropout rates, Balfanz said.
He studied six states — not including Michigan — and found chronic absenteeism was most prevalent among low-income students and had highest rates in kindergarten and again in ninth to 12th grade, with seniors having the highest rates of all students.
Transportation is often the problem for older students who rely on mass transit to get to school, he said, while family issues dominate whether youngster make it to school.
"You find poverty as the main driver of absenteeism. They have family responsibilities from sibling care to elder care, to paying the electric bill. The family is under a lot of pressure," Balfanz said. "In these high poverty communities, kids are raising themselves."[7]
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY
In the 2010-11 school year, attendance fell below 75 percent on 10 days, costing DPS $4.2 million in state per-pupil aid. State law requires all districts to have at least 75 percent of students in class to receive their full allocation for the day.
On Nov. 24, 2010, when 75,895 students were enrolled, 33,178, or 43.7 percent, showed up. On June 16, 2011 — the last day of school — 41 percent of students attended.[7]
The Detroit News reports that 93,408 cases of truancy were reported in Michigan schools during the 2011-12 school year. That's an increase of about 10,000 since 2010-11.[5]
Linking welfare payments to school absences is intended to “take a bite out of generational poverty” through education, according to a state agency.[1]
Punishing low-income families won’t help kids succeed in school. It will simply exacerbate factors that make it more difficult for them to attend, further deepening Michigan’s education crisis.[4]
Some of the people targeted by this new plan say it's just not that simple. There are a lot of reasons why kids can't make it to school and taking away the entire family's state aid they feel is not the answer.[7]
"I think it's very unfair, and I think it's very stupid. I mean, it doesn't make sense," said Ebony Boost, who has three children and is currently on welfare.[7]
DHS EMBEDDING WITH THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, = BIG BROTHER
Starting Monday, parents applying for some welfare benefits through the state Human Services Department will have to prove their children are regularly attending class.[1]
CPS IS ALREADY THERE
A referral must be made to child protective services and the school district truancy officer, per local school district procedure, if it is verified a dependent child age 6 to 17 is not enrolled/attending a public school or is not participating in an organized education program.[2]
A student is considered truant in Michigan when he or she has 10 or more unexcused absences per school year.[4]
SISS BOM BAAA
The move is being cheered by school districts, though some advocates say truancy affects families of all incomes and the policy unfairly focuses those who are struggling.[1]
Hunger, transportation, lack of proper school uniforms and sexually transmitted diseases are among the reasons students give DHS social workers for not attending school. Caseworkers say they use public and nonprofit resources to help reroute students to school.[7]
DrTim
“It’s just unacceptable for children to be chronically absent”.[1]
Absolutely! Then too, many of these parents are home much of the day and there is no excuse for not getting their kids off to school. I have witnessed this first hand hundreds of times. [1]
OPTIONS, OPTIONS, OPTIONS
Correspondence or Web-based courses administered by a school or used as part of a home school curriculum are acceptable.[2]
“ HAMMER IN THE EVENING” EDUCATION OF STARVATION
But Human Services Department spokesman Dave Akerly said the goal is to make sure children are getting the education they need.[1]
WEIGHT LOSS PLAN
“We’re trying to take a bite out of generational poverty, and one way to do that is get kids to stay in class and finish school,” he said.[1]
STATE TO SAVE $336,960,000.00
The policy goes into effect on Monday, and affects new applicants others as they work through an annual review. The state has about 60,000 cases, and the average family in the program receives about $468 a month, he said.[1]
Reaching out to families and helping them deal with the problems they face is no guarantee that their children will stop missing school. But it is a far better way to convince them that school attendance is crucial to their kids' success in life than making them suffer more.
A DHS spokesman called the new policy a “carrot and a stick,” but it’s aimed at people that have already had more than their share of tough knocks. The “stick” should be our last resort.[4]
Also, enrollment and attendance will be verified twice — at the annual reviews and each birthday for children 16, 17 and 18 — ages at which dropout and truancy rates are higher.
Families with children who lose benefits for truancy must then prove a child has attended school for 21 consecutive calendar days before they can regain cash-aid eligibility. Proof can be obtained by a parent from their child's school.[6]
THE IRRESPONSIBLE RIGHT WING CHECKS IN
getyokids
Since school just started why not include everybody? They also should make truancy home visits this way School officials would get to see how the child is living in the home. If a child misses more than 10 days ticket the parent and those on welfare cut them off. This will not only make the parent responsible ,it will curb some of the crime and help the child.[1]
nowaygreatlakesbay
Just put these kids with responsible families and cut the parents off completely. Let them either get their act together or seek the dole in some other state.[1]
Willieswife
You are so right!!!! I know of several people who go to food banks to feed themselves after they have sold their food stamps to buy drugs or alchohol. It is just plain disgusting that this goes on.[1]
THE MAJORITY MIDDLE GROUND RAISES ITS VOICE
bodrell
How is it "unfair" to focus on "those who are struggling"? Are the ones who are "struggling" not the ones who most need the help and incentives? Yes, truancy can be a problem in Grand Blanc as well as Flint. But Flint city school district has a 23.6% truancy rate, compared to Grand Blanc Community Schools at 1.3% according to the below mlive link.
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2012/03/... [1]
A WORD FROM THE RESPONSIBLE LEFT
zackwest
We have a really depressing society. Prisons are filling up so fast. Property taxes are oppressive. Home ownership is provisional and on contingency basis at all times. Jobs have been permanently lost to automation. Your grand children have no future job prospects - everything will be done by machines owned by top 1% in this country. [1]
THIS IS THE RICH NERDS, Michigan Governor Snyder, IDEA WHO ONCE AGAIN IS CLUELESS
But advocates for people in need said the policy might be short-sighted. Judy Putnam, spokeswoman for the Michigan League of Human Services, said there is no doubt that children need to be in school.[3]
But, she said, Gov. Snyder needs to focus on a plan that targets all truant students and not just those in struggling families. She said it’s hard to tell what percentage of chronically absent students come from homes receiving cash assistance.[3]
“Until you walk a mile in those persons’ shoes, it’s difficult to understand why those children are absent,” she said.[3]
“Families in need often lack reliable transportation, they don’t have a support system when children are sick and they don’t have reliable work schedules. They need this assistance.”[3]
EDUCATION IS NO LONGER A FRIENDLY NURTURING ENVIRONMENT
Parents must provide a form completed by their schools indicating children are complying with the attendance policy. The state also has a plan for parents who are homeschooling their children.[1]
HOMESCHOOLING FOR THE POOR WITH BADASS TEENAGERS ON THE RISE
Akerly said there are provisions for special circumstances, such as an extended sickness.[1]
LEGAL GUARDIANS CODE WORD FOR OPPRESSED GRANDPARENTS
Parents and legal guardians must direct and oversee the home schooling of their dependent child in an organized educational program. The parent or legal guardian is responsible for assigning homework, giving tests and grading tests. If home schooling continues through grade 12, the parent or legal guardian issues a high school diploma to the graduate. The organized educational program must include the subject areas of reading, spelling, mathematics, science, history, civics, literature, writing, and English grammar. Home school families may purchase the textbooks and instructional material of their choice. Parents or legal guardians are encouraged to maintain student records of progress throughout the year. There are no required tests for a home school student, but the parent or legal guardian is responsible for administering tests based upon the curriculum they use.[2]
But advocates for people in need said the policy might be hurt some families without helping solve the overall problems with school attendance.[1]
“ HAMMER ALL OVER THIS LAND”
Judy Putnam, spokeswoman for the Michigan League of Human Services, said there is no doubt that children need to be in school. But she said it’s hard to tell what percentage of chronically absent students come from homes receiving cash assistance.[1]
It’s no secret that kids living in poverty are far more likely to miss school, often starting at a very young age. Locally, we’ve learned that by working with families — understanding the reasons that their children are missing school and linking them with services that solve their problems — we can make dramatic differences in attendance rates.[4]
The bottom line is the parents who are on assistance and get their students to school do not have anything to worry about. Those who don't could have a real impact on their bottom line.[8]
SOURCES
[1]
http://www.mlive.com/education/index.ssf/2012/09/new_michigan_policy_linking_we.html#incart_river
[2]
http://www.mfia.state.mi.us/OLMWeb/exf/BP-2012-016.pdf
[3]
http://www.mlive.com/education/index.ssf/2012/09/educators_say_linking_welfare.html
[4]
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20120925/OPINION01/309250026/Why-punish-poor-?odyssey=nav%7Chead
[5]
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2012/09/michigan_policy_links_school_a.html
[6]
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120925/METRO/209250373/Truant-kids-cost-families-state-aid?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE
[7]
http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/19633772/michigan-families-to-lose-welfare-benefits-for-too-much-truancy
[8]
http://www.wnem.com/story/19640495/families-who-get-assistance-must-get-children-to-school-or-risk-losing-it
[9]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_I_Had_a_Hammer
[10]
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=IF+I+HAD+A+HAMMER&mid=292B533E1072F485D03D292B533E1072F485D03D&view=detail&FORM=VIRE2
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