I recently met a man who is passionate about ending homelessness in the United States. His name is John McLaughlin, and he works at the U.S. Department of Education. As an education program specialist, John deals with educational issues involving homeless students.
I was very impressed with how he approached solving the problem of homelessness in an educational context. Some of his specific solutions really surprised me.
“The administration has approved a Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness by 2020,” McLaughlin said.
He continued to say, “Our agency’s main goal is that all students be college and career ready by 2020, which means on track to graduate from high school and enroll in at least one year of post-secondary education.”
I was more impressed when I realized that specialists like McLaughlin make efforts to give an opportunity to homeless students to have further education. At the same time, though, I was curious if that really happens. I mean, can we really end homelessness and have the relevant children college and career ready by 2020?
There were 578,424 people experiencing homelessness in the United States in January 2014. All federal programs define homelessness as “lacking a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.”
In Wisconsin, the number of homeless people has actually decreased compared to last year. Of course it is great that the number is decreased, but that does not mean we can stop thinking about the issue of homelessness.
I often struggle with trying to think of what I can do to help homeless people. Every time I am asked for money on the street, I almost feel like crying because I am merely an exchange student and cannot afford to give money every day to every single person.
“I think the first step is just to know how many homeless individuals have been identified annually or recently in their communities, which organizations serve them and how services are coordinated in their communities,” McLaughlin said, and I agree with him.
However small a step it may be, the program helps in ending homelessness. However irrelevant you may feel, each of you has to deal with the homelessness issue as a member of society.
Yukako is a junior majoring in political science and journalism. Do you agree with her? Do we all play a role in the elimination of homelessness in our society? Are changes in public education a possible solution to the problem? Send comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
