Homeless America Some Recovery

Rory J. Koopmans, B. Admin.,

Strathcona Public Library Terminal #VII, Edmonton, Alberta

March VIIth, MMXI

Hon. David G. Hancock, QC, MLA

Minister of Education,

Progressive Conservative, Edmonton-Whitemud

Dear David:

As I sit here in this Provincially Designated Historical Landmark, the oldest library of the EPL chain, I cannot help but feel saddened at what I saw on television last night. The American Government says that the U.S. financial recovery is well on the way & yet fully XXV% (25%), thats 1/4th of United States children are being picked up by yellow buses for school at cheap hotels, motels, homeless shelters & even on the streets. Thats intolerable & embarrassing. Plus, the American Government tacitly has relaxed trade rules II move jobs overseas & so this recession is worse than the Great Depression Era which had manufacturing jobs out of WWII II replace the jobs that had been lost. Soon there will wind up being more kids picked up from cheap motels & from on the street if things do not improve.

As the recession is so bad, students & their family's are quite often displaced. I know its not as bad here, but these kids were blaming themselves IV their family's being homeless & living apart. Separations that can take a toll on family's, leading to breakups & other stresses. These kids shouldn't blame themselves IV the corporations shutting down America & making them sad & having depressing lives. There are kids who have II decide whether or not their bellies will get filled one day, and even where they are going II eat. If living in motels w/o a cooking centre, they wind up eating out more often which is of course more unhealthy. Thus of course leading II developmental problems.

We need to have these students & poor Albertan students be back in school full time. We need II find their parents/guardians jobs again so that these family's can have some self-respect again. I am lucky II have obtained II high school diplomas, my fondest wish is that these children can get back their lives, get one diploma & a great post-secondary start so that they can look after their family's & start their own lives on a stronger foundation of hope.

Graciously,

Rory

Source: Columbia Broadcasting System's (CBS's) News "60 Minutes", a CBS News Magazine. C. MMXI, CBS News Broadcasting Incorporated. Year XLIII (43), Reporting From Seminole County, Florida, Correspondent Scott Pelley.