homelessness

For this discussion, I am excited to write about homelessness, using Ho’s resource as published by The Guardian. According to The McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act, homelessness is a living condition where an individual(s) do not have a residence for a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime. That encompasses people who live in shelters, temporary homes, or the streets. Ho reports that the number of homeless students has increased by 15% since 2017. This category entails children as young as in grade two to those above 18 years of age. From the National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE), Ho finds that one state – California has 263,000 homeless students.

This means that while the education system is standard, homelessness is a significant inequality. The director at NCHE acknowledges that students facing homelessness go through hard times as everything for them is “so up-in-the-air.” He contends that homelessness is among the critical factors that impact a student’s performance. For instance, they have to deal with the trauma of homelessness.

Since experts theorize postulate that homelessness arises due to factors such as housing costs and natural disasters, the two are a viable starting point to combating homelessness. Ho finds that inequality does not affect students as an isolated case since most students are homeless with their families. Therefore, I think that a tangible solution to homelessness would be restructuring the housing finance system, such that it is favourable to people of all socioeconomic categories. Also, states may devise contingency residencia solutions to those who may not afford for themselves.

Ho, V. (2020). US homeless student population reaches 1.5m, the highest in a decade. Retrieved 22 June 2020, from https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/feb/04/us-homeless-student-population-homelessness

Response to Alyssa

Hello Alyssa,

This is very exciting. I think the gender pay gap had historically crippled the economic rise of women in society. Thank you, Alyssa, for mentioning the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Paycheck Fairness Act, and the Title IX. They have been a critical resource in ensuring that women stand a chance to rise economically, in a formerly male-dominated economy. I think that although men generally have a superiority attitude in families, bridging the gender pay gaps may change the paradigms towards gendered society, to empower all women and reduce dependence on men. Lastly, would you mind informing the current male to female pay ratios? Thank you.

Response to Keybreyanna

Hello Keybreyanna,

Income inequality is a severe issue. I am glad you wrote about it. Surely some people have overworked to sustain our economy, like the plantation workers who take part in food production, yet they are significantly underpaid. On the other hand, there are filthy rich celebrities, politicians, entrepreneurs, among others, who do not really work that much. I do not want to say one is the cause on another’s income situation, but I think this a critical issue. In a way, I feel that Bernie Sanders’s idea would discourage people from working hard, and on the other hand, not taxing low-income earners would be discrimination to the wealthy. However, I look forward to hearing other people’s ideas. Thank you.