This week, we’re talking about a pressing issue that affects us on a global scale: Homelessness and Poverty. This issue has grown in the United States to the point where it’s also affecting the way students learn, as they are unable to afford to gain an education for several reasons. You don’t believe me, you say? Well, according to a study done by the National Center for Homeless Education (2022), 2.2% of students in public schools were homeless in the 2020-2021 school year, amounting to over a million students. That’s one million kids without homes, one million kids struggling financially, but most importantly, one million kids without the resources they need to succeed as students. One theme discussed through the module this week is how although attending public schools is free to US citizens, there are aspects where money may be an issue as districts may neglect their students’ needs due to the school’s budget. Another theme that was present was that students who suffer from poverty may be ashamed of living in such conditions, as it causes them to miss out on student life, and in some cases, they may even be bullied because of it. Overall, poverty and homelessness have proven to have a strong, negative effect on students who suffer from these issues, as they hinder the learning experience in many ways. Let’s analyze these themes together in further detail.
Unsplash. (2017, October 27). Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash. Unsplash.com. https://unsplash.com/photos/man-and-woman-sitting-on-chairs-zFSo6bnZJTw
To start, we’re talking about the theme of neglect. As I stated above, some schools achieve this theme by not accommodating students who may not have the resources needed for class. For example, COVID-19 introduced hybrid learning, where “homeless students faced tremendous challenges” as many of them couldn’t afford the necessary technology they needed to attend online synchronous classes or complete their work in online classrooms (Cai, 2021). Without having access to the online classroom, students living in poverty weren’t able to complete the work and attend class. Their learning was put to an abrupt halt, as the pandemic sent society to be fully remote, and these kids were left behind.
Now, let’s talk about the theme of shame. Shame is the kind of feeling that eats away at your very soul, causing you to self-isolate out of embarrassment. As discussed in the documentary “The Homestretch”, students who live in poverty seem to suffer with shame often, as their lack of resources causes them to feel left out and lonely in school settings (Bullfrog Films, 2014). Their financial issues often leave them unable to afford to go on school trips, school supplies, technology to keep in touch with friends or teachers, or even school lunches. In addition, bullying is also an issue in schools, where some students see it suit to make fun of others if they’re unable to afford certain clothes, trips, accessories, technology, etc. Between the fear of being made fun of and the embarrassment of not being able to afford as much as a school lunch every day, students living in poverty tend to hide their problems, allowing the shame to deteriorate their mental health.
Unsplash. (2015, March 28). Photo by Redd F on Unsplash. Unsplash.com. https://unsplash.com/photos/man-with-backpack-beside-a-books-9o8YdYGTT64
To wrap this blog post with a bang, I found a song that sums up these two themes. It’s called “If There’s A God In Heaven (What’s He Waiting For?” by Elton John, and it’s about how God has let people suffer in poverty and goes as far as to question his existence. This is a great song to mention when thinking about poverty and how it affects students, as it talks about how awful these kinds of struggles are. One lyric that stood out to me was when Elton John sang “We’ve been taking their futures outright their hands” (John, 1976). This ties back to the themes we spoke about, as the negligence and shame that kids suffer due to financial troubles affect their futures as they’re unable to obtain the best quality education. How are kids supposed to get into careers that will be able to support them in life if they don’t have access to the materials they need to obtain a decent education? It just sounds like we’re stuck in a dystopian society where the well-being of younger generations doesn’t matter, and this country’s priorities need to be put straight. I hope to become a teacher who can help combat these issues and help society improve so we would be able to offer all students a decent education, regardless of their family’s tax bracket.
References
Bullfrog Films. (2014). Login Required. Login.molloy.idm.oclc.org. https://docuseek2-com.molloy.idm.oclc.org/cart/product/913
Cai, J. (2021, July 27). Homeless Students in Public Schools Across America: Down but Not Out. Www.nsba.org. https://www.nsba.org/Perspectives/2021/homeless-students
John, E. (1976). If There’s a God in Heaven (What’s He Waiting For?). https://open.spotify.com/track/0jfP8jD5xZBWXUJ0H36UKz?autoplay=true
National Center for Homeless Education. (2022). Student Homelessness in America. https://nche.ed.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Student-Homelessness-in-America-2022.pdf?utm_source=research-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=website&utm_content=later-37044835
Unsplash. (2015, March 28). Photo by Redd F on Unsplash. Unsplash.com. https://unsplash.com/photos/man-with-backpack-beside-a-books-9o8YdYGTT64
Unsplash. (2017, October 27). Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash. Unsplash.com. https://unsplash.com/photos/man-and-woman-sitting-on-chairs-zFSo6bnZJTw
Hello Alba,
Your post really resonated with me. It’s such an important topic, and you addressed it with a lot of heart and insight. I appreciate how you brought attention to the alarming statistics from the National Center for Homeless Education. Your thoughts on comparing our society to a dystopian society where the well-being of younger generations doesn’t matter, and this country’s priorities need to be put straight was honestly eye-opening and such a great comparison because honestly it is true. I think our society has failed us in many ways and I think we should change that by providing more light on this topic and more knowledge of how we as teachers can help and support. It definitely is important for us as future educators to create a warm and supportive classroom environment for our students, and your dedication to that is admirable. Overall, your blog post was incredibly impactful and thought provoking. Keep up the great work!