The number of children displaced has been climbing steadily in recent years, with nearly 40 percent of U.S. school districts surveyed citing foreclosure as the top reason for the surge in homeless students, according to a report this summer by First Focus and the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth.
Children who are forcibly uprooted from their homes and schools tend to suffer emotionally, socially and academically, studies preceding the mortgage meltdown show. Researchers suspect the same might be happening with children who have been dragged through foreclosure and are urgently exploring the consequences.
“This foreclosure crisis is the largest forced relocation event we’ve had in this country since the Great Depression. In the modern educational environment, we’ve never seen anything come close to this,” said Dan Immergluck, a housing policy professor at the Georgia Tech.
Where are the churches? Where are the non governmental authorities?
Once we’re done blaming the parents for their sins, perhaps we might demonstrate some compassion.
On this issue, John, I’m with you. Where are the churches, unless they are already helping without fanfare or publicity?
um, can one possibly expect churches to have the necessary resources to take over a parishoner’s mortgage? Would you contribute financially to a church that attempted this? And have not military and corporate (IBM: I’ve been moved) kids been moved all over the country, and in some cases the world? I’m sorry, but this reaction to the kids sends them a message that material objects in life, such as a house, carry with them far too much importance.
Chris, due to military requirements, I moved my son and daughter seven times before they hit 20. For several reasons I do not consider the experience of my children analagous to that described in the article.