Marian Wright Edelman: Katrina's Children Still Struggling

[Louisiana1976]

"Dear President Obama: My name is Jade Windon, 7th grade student at McDonogh 42 Charter School in New Orleans, Louisiana. Mr. President, I write to you expressing how many of our lives continue to be affected today by the storm that happened almost four years ago. Hurricane Katrina devastated the lives of everyone here and in the Gulf Coast region. Here in New Orleans, we are making very little progress. Our communities are still feeling the effects of Katrina. I ask you Mr. President to please help us rebuild our lives and city. Our school, jobs and health care are just a few of the things that I would like to see fixed. Thank you Mr. President and may God Bless America, especially New Orleans. Sincerely, Jade Windon."

Jade is one of thousands of children from New Orleans and the surrounding areas for whom life is still not back to normal four years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005. Even though significant strides toward recovery have been made, for many residents there is still a long way to go. A new report commissioned by the Children's Defense Fund's Southern Regional and Louisiana offices outlines many of the ongoing needs and the lessons for our nation. Three of the most serious problems still facing children and families are housing, health care and education.

<snip>

Many hospitals and clinics in the region remain closed including New Orleans' only public hospital. Louisiana ranked 49th in a recent state-by-state study on child well-being and 50th in the percentage of its population lacking access to quality health and mental healthcare. Without serious intervention and a forward-thinking strategy for health and mental health services for children and their families, we can anticipate a worsening of health problems--including conditions like substance abuse, alcoholism, and domestic violence that are all linked to the untreated post-traumatic stress that many storm survivors still face.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, approximately 118,000 school-age children in Louisiana and 20,000 school-age children in Mississippi were displaced. It's estimated that more than 50,000 children did not attend school in 2005-2006, and approximately 15,000 did not attend in 2006-2007. Although the consequences of missed school days and other setbacks in education and child care services haven't been fully assessed, it's clear that the post-Katrina government response has not adequately ensured access to schools and child care centers. Despite the unmet needs, FEMA denied government applications for assistance to rebuild heavily damaged or destroyed child care centers because it does not consider child care an essential public service. At the same time, FEMA identified zoos and museums as examples of essential public services eligible for rebuilding assistance, a decision whose rationale defies logic. Even before Katrina, the New Orleans school system was in a state of serious decline. The storm's damage to approximately 100 public school buildings facilitated the takeover of failing schools and the drive to make New Orleans the first majority charter school district in the nation. But the introduction of charter schools hasn't remedied the educational inequalities, the increased need for counseling services, or the unstable living conditions many students face. What exists now is a system of schools--not a school system worthy of its children.

<snip>

more...http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marian-wright-edelman/katrinas-children---still_b_271216.html

[bobbolink]

1. substance abuse, alcoholism, and domestic violence?

No problem, those are all things we can blame the victim for.

Problem solved.

:nuke:

[Louisiana1976]

2. Blaming the victims while turning a blind eye to the root causes of their issues

is a sure way to see that their problems continue.

[annm4peace]

3. this should be on the greatest page.. Please kick