Education Systems with Children Growing Up in Poverty

The state should give more money to the state education systems where children are in low-income communities because they may have trouble achieving food security and stable housing, mental learning disabilities or physical limitations that could affect learning. Education marks the first step in finding a well-paying job and making money to support a family or yourself. Without education, many are left unemployed and could be stuck in poverty for the rest of their lives. Statistics have shown the chances of success in school for children living below the poverty line are much lower than their peers.

The word “food insecurity” is often used in public policy debates to draw an abstract line around the inability to afford food. A United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) study has found that over 80 percent of households with extremely low food security have reported a reduction in the size of meals, a reduction in the number of meals, or a total skipping of meals altogether. While most school-aged children may have the biggest stressors such as homework, household chores, or who won the soccer game, getting a filling healthy meal is a bigger concern for many others. A majority of teachers frequently concentrate on aspects like student intellect, teacher quality, and teaching methods when evaluating various factors that influence a student’s academic success. These reasons can have an impact on a child’s success at school or willingness to learn.

 Research has shown the mere fact of being disadvantaged when it comes to nutritional meals can affect children's brains, making it difficult for them to concentrate much less be successful in school. Those living in poverty are much more inclined to feel like a disappointment and feel hopeless about their prospects in the future than their peers. Children who are in poverty are more likely to develop mental health problems, substance abuse or potential homelessness. Parents of children in low-income families have a higher stress level than those who have more stable sources of income. Parents have less money to spend on recreational and social activities leaving no time for de-stressing. Stress becomes integrated into these children’s personalities and behaviors. Parental recording of behavioral problems is the most common source of mental health of children and it is typically divided into two aspects: externalizing or under control behaviors like violence, fighting, and acting out, and internalizing or over-regulated behaviors such as depression, anxiety, and withdrawal. Children who experience poverty are more likely to develop many chronic diseases, and a shorter life expectancy as adults.

There are many physical effects of being a child in poverty. Poor children have grown accustomed to substandard living conditions, poor housing, increased levels of crime, water or air pollution. These conditions may lead to risky decision-making among teens, and cause them additional stress. This can lead to the abuse of the child leaving permanent scars both mentally and physically on the children by their parents. Another big physical effect on children in poverty is poor hygiene. The thought of being stinky or being called stinky is something most people all fear. What many do not realize are these kids in poverty must go to school worrying if people will judge them by how they smell. Having the finest clothes or wearing the best shoes, a lot of times determines how you are seen and evaluated by our peers. So many times, they see these kids in poverty as less than them making the kids vulnerable to the attacks of other kids. This may start as harmless name-calling but could lead to a more physical type of bullying to the child in poverty.

On the opposing side, the state is putting money into things other than the education system like roads, buildings, etc. Individuals need to understand there is only so much money that the state has.   This calls for the need for additional houses, more factories for work for the growing population, more roads, etc.  Everyone should have to reevaluate and understand there are many other issues in the state other than education issues.

Overall, there is a clear understanding that involves many other issues that must be solved with limited funds available. The state must understand that knowledge is power, the more knowledge one has the stronger one is. The greater the education opportunities they have, the better chance they will get a meaningful job to keep them going when they are adults. Schooling goes a very long way; no one cannot be successful in life if they lack solid education. Standing by the thought that the state should put more money into the education system.

Works Cited:

• Farrigan, Tracey. “Extreme Poverty Counties Found Solely in Rural Areas in 2018.” USDA ERS - Extreme Poverty Counties Found Solely in Rural Areas in 2018, 4 May 2020, www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2020/may/extreme-poverty-counties-found-solely-in-rural-areas-in-2018/.
• Cole, Robert. “Chapter 1. Educating Everybody's Children: We Know What Works-And What Doesn't.” Educating Everybody's Children: We Know What Works-And What Doesn't, www.ascd.org/publications/books/107003/chapters/Educating-Everybody%27s-Children%40-We-Know-What-Works%E2%80%94And-What-Doesn%27t.aspx.