Teen charged in shooting of 6-year-old girl

We've been addressing issues, creating outreach, developing programs, and dumping charities into these areas for decades

Let's talk about little kids, since they have no control over the situations they're born into. I volunteer in two pediatrics clinics, one in a middle-upper class area, and the other is a free clinic. I think that there should be a minimum quality of life afforded to children, and the kids at the free clinic are not getting it. DCFS is stretched thin in those areas, and at least 1/3 of the kids are neglected or abused. 2 in 10 kids have elevated lead levels in their blood, and we know that lead affects mental development. A lot of the kids have asthma, and the parents tell me there's nothing they can do about the roaches and mold that exacerbate their kids' symptoms, which can keep kids home from school. The kids have a hard time identifying a "trusted adult" that they can go to for help at school, and I'm told that there are 30-40 kids per teacher at their schools. I have seen kids change dramatically after they have seen someone get shot, and they don't receive adequate counseling afterwards. Kids tell me about not having food at home near the end of the month and missing dinner and meals on weekends and in the summer. Kids as young as 7 have to stay home alone, sometimes taking care of (including cooking) for younger siblings.

Many of those problems can be solved with improved housing, more social workers with more power, more teachers, more counseling, affordable and high-quality childcare, and living wages. Go volunteer in an elementary school in one of the neighborhoods with high crime, and you'll see that the kids' issues have not been adequately addressed.

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