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In reading THE STATE OF AMERICA’S CHILDREN^® 2011 REPORT it seems to me that any caring, intelligent adult might wonder if America is falling apart, unraveling not at our seems but at the core of who we are as a nation.  These statistics break my heart.  Who is crying for America’s children?  Who turns their back and walks away?  Who suffers?  Who helps those who are suffering?  And most importantly, WHAT ON EARTH is wrong with our nation and how do we make things right for the children who are NOT receiving what they need?

Are Our Children Ready to Compete in the Global Arena?

How America Ranks Among Industrialized Countries in Investing in and Protecting Children                                   

1^st in gross domestic product

1^st in number of billionaires

1^st in number of persons incarcerated

1^st in health expenditures

1^st in student expenditures

1^st in military technology

1^st in defense expenditures

1^st in military weapons exports

17^th in reading scores

22^nd in low birthweight rates

23^rd in science scores

30^th in infant mortality rates

31^st in math scores

31^st in the gap between the rich and the poor

Last in relative child poverty

Last in adolescent birth rates (ages 15 to 19)

Last in protecting our children against gun violence

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Personally, I don’t think COMPETING in the ‘global arena’ should be our top concern.  How about ethical care for our most important resource – our nation’s children?  How about ensuring equitable chances of having a quality life of well-being at all?

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“Children’s Defense Fund’s (CDF) new report The State of America’s Children 2011 finds children have fallen further behind in many of the leading indicators over the past year as the country slowly climbs out of the recession. This is a comprehensive compilation and analysis of the most recent and reliable national and state-by-state data on population, poverty, family structure, family income, health, nutrition, early childhood development, education, child welfare, juvenile justice, and gun violence. The report provides key child data showing alarming numbers of children at risk: children are the poorest age group with 15.5 million children—one in every five children in America—living in poverty, and more than 60 percent of fourth, eighth and 12th grade public school students are reading or doing math below grade level.”

View this year’s interactive report or download the document.

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These are the areas covered in this report – PLEASE CARE ENOUGH TO TAKE A LOOK!

INTRODUCTION

KEY FACTS

CHILD POPULATION

FAMILY STRUCTURE

CHILD HEALTH

EARLY CHILDHOOD

CHILD WELFARE

GUN VIOLENCE

CHILD POVERTY

FAMILY INCOME

CHILD HUNGER

EDUCATION

JUVENILE JUSTICE

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More here:

WE the U.S. and the WORLD

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