NEWS STORY: State of nation’s children improving but still”unconscionable”

c. 1997 Religion News Service WASHINGTON _ Marian Wright Edelman, president of the The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) said Wednesday (March 12) that despite some encouraging signs, the nation’s children remain in peril from threats of violence, abuse and neglect.”It is unconscionable that every day in America, 16 children die from gunfire, 8,042 children are […]

c. 1997 Religion News Service

WASHINGTON _ Marian Wright Edelman, president of the The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) said Wednesday (March 12) that despite some encouraging signs, the nation’s children remain in peril from threats of violence, abuse and neglect.”It is unconscionable that every day in America, 16 children die from gunfire, 8,042 children are reported abused or neglected and 3,300 children lose private health insurance,”Edelman told a news conference at which she released the liberal advocacy group’s annual”State of America’s Children Yearbook,”a statistical portrait of the nation’s youth.

Despite many grim statistics, this year’s report also cites some”encouraging improvements”in key indicators _ teen birth rates are down, fewer youths are being arrested for homicide, and children’s immunization rates are up.


But the report calls for urgent action on issues such as health care, welfare, and education.”America’s child, family and community challenges are legion. But they are solvable, depending on our moral choices as citizens,”the report said.

Edelman called upon”religious congregations of all faiths”not only to continue to”provide a moral voice for children,”but also to literally open their doors and provide community programs to repair the”fundamental breakdown”in family support structures.

Edelman, who comes from a long line of Baptist preachers, said churches need to improve their family and youth ministries and”speak out for justice for children and for the poor.” A key part of the conference for its 2,000 participants is a day of lobbying on Capitol Hill to advance CDF’s top priority of health care for children.”I hope next year we can report we have a bipartisan health care bill”that protects every child, Edelman said.

She called on President Clinton, Congress, and state governors to”put their money and leadership where their rhetoric is”in terms of protecting the health of children.

Edelman also applauded proposed bills by Senate Minority Leader Thomas A. Daschle, D-S.D., and Democratic Sens. Edward M. Kennedy and John F. Kerry of Massachusetts, which, if enacted, will restore many health benefits to children that were eliminated by the 1996 welfare law _ legislation Edelman scathingly refers to as”welfare repeal.” Edelman said it is scandalous that America ranks first among industrialized nations in its health technology but still does not provide comprehensive health coverage for all children and pregnant women.

She called on lawmakers and citizens to support a”preventive investment”in healthy children … before they get sick, drop out of school, suffer family breakdown or get into trouble.””We have many models of things that work,”she said, noting the growing number of so-called”Freedom Schools,”where over 2,000 disadvantaged children nationwide are learning from African-American college students about everything from conflict resolution to chess.

She also cited New York City’s”Beacon Schools,”which provide programs for parents and children during the”most dangerous hours”between the end of the school day and midnight.


MJP END LEBOWITZ

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