More Children at Risk
American children and youth have suffered terribly this past year.
Their health and well-being have once again been ranked last among economically advanced nations by the Organization of Economically Developed Countries.
Rankings of children in Jacksonville and the South would fall behind many developing countries.
In addition, 75 percent of American youth seeking to enter our military were deemed unfit to serve. In an international comparison of education, our children rank far behind scores of other nations.
In 2007, the United States tied for last with the United Kingdom in an assessment of children’s well-being in developed nations. A national outcry among professionals, politicians and the lay community resulted in substantive policy changes that have already produced improvements.
Meanwhile, our children continue to fall behind all other economically advanced nations.
This deteriorating status of American children is the result of failed public policies. While other countries embrace change, we discount the complex societal, racial and class origins of our failures.
Meanwhile, poverty consumes 50 percent of our children, and virtually every global social, educational, economic, health and environmental indicator bears testimony to our failed policies.
Solutions will not come from within our country, but rather from the strategies and experience of other nations that have embraced enlightened child-centric principles.
We have a new governor, and will soon have a new mayor. They have the opportunity to make systemic change, or continue the slide that will undermine the viability of our state and nation.
JEFF GOLDHAGEN,
pediatrician – Jacksonville, Florida
Well said… It is way past time for our politicians and civic leaders address this problem with the high priority it deserves. Virtually nothing is more important for the future of the republic and our way of life.
~ Brick
January 31, 2011
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