Haves and Have Nots Seminar - Moody Middle School

"There may now be more multi-millionaires and billionaires than ever before in the world, but since the 2008 global financial crisis the wealth gap between the world's top 1% and the rest of us has grown." This article shows the growing gap between the Haves and Have-Nots'

"These smarter investments include spending more per pupil in low-income districts, which occurs in most developed countries, while the United States invests more per pupil in high-income districts" This article states the ignorance of the United States to the educational problems of the lower class. Research reveals that although low-income areas require more financial resources to educate their students, only 17 states provide proper funding for these communities.

"President Obama is in Tennessee on Friday, along with the state's Republican governor and two Republican senators, to lay out his plan for free community college. The plan - which would require congressional approval - would apply to students attending a two-year college, including part time, so long as the college offered credits that could transfer to a four-year college or provided training that led to jobs." This shows our president trying to get the Have-not's a better chance at education

"President Obama will propose a 10-year budget on Monday that stabilizes the federal deficit but does not seek balance, instead focusing on policies to address income inequality as he adds nearly $6 trillion to the debt." This article outlines President Obama's plan to address income inequality in America.

" President Obama will propose a 10-year budget on Monday that stabilizes the federal deficit but does not seek balance, instead focusing on policies to address income inequality as he adds nearly $6 trillion to the debt." This article focuses on a new budget that President Barack Obama is proposing that will hopefully successfully address income inequality. The article explains how Obama works to fix the inequality, although the debt is still increasing. Throughout the article, the reader gains more information about how Obama plans to raise taxes on the wealthy and increase the incomes of those in the middle class through new spending and tax credits. 

This article explains how the current president of the United States is tackling income inequality. If I was president, it would be a long time away from now and changes could be made by the current presidents and the ones before me. Based on this article, I could easily create my opinion on income inequality in the US.

"The great equalizer in America remains education. A good education or acquisition of technical skills provides tremendous options for everyone, regardless of their birth circumstances. We live in a country where people are free to move without penalty to any state where jobs are available. We need to emphasize the fact that almost any kind of employment confers knowledge and skills that become valuable when trying to move up the economic ladder. One also acquires contacts that can be quite useful for those with knowledge and skill." "Those who have achieved great financial success should be encouraged to invest in their fellow Americans, with the return on investment being the transformation from dependency to proud achiever of the American dream." Explains multiple have vs. have nots issues. Discusses why education is the great equalizer.

"Lower-income children perform less well on high-stakes accountability tests; they then graduate from high school and attend college at significantly lower rates than children of the wealthy and the middle class. Achievement and opportunity are intricately connected. Without one, you cannot have the other." In this article, it is explained that children from low income families suffer to complete their education and children from high income families are usually advantaged by their wealthy parents at a young age. "Rich" children often start their academic development early while "poor" children aren't much fortunate and start rough. It all leads to the achievement gap which differentiates poor and rich people.

"Henrico County Public Schools has a gap in student academic achievement. White students and Asian students perform at higher levels on most academic measures than do African American students, Hispanic students, and students with disabilities. While there are individual differences between students, this gap is evident when comparing overall student groups. To that end, the Henrico County community is invited to engage with the school division in this important work.  This webpage will serve as a portal for information about efforts to close the gap.  It will also be a place for the community to identify issues, share ideas, and celebrate successes.  " This article talks about the academic gap between the different races in Henrico County schools. It explains how the teachers are committed to closing it.

"Approaches to closing the achievement gap in Henrico Schools has taken a broad perspective with implementation of instructional strategies that are based on research and best practice; however, we have not made the desired progress to ensure all students learn to their highest potential. This is not an acceptable outcome for the students of Henrico County. The school board, the school division leadership, and the faculty and staff of every school is committed to closing this gap. " This article from the HCPS website confirms that there is an opportunity gap in henrico county schools. However, it focuses on the fact that this gap can be closed, and everything should be done to do so.

"Henrico County Public Schools has a gap in student academic achievement. White students and Asian students perform at higher levels on most academic measures than do African American students, Hispanic students, and students with disabilities. While there are individual differences between students, this gap is evident when comparing overall student groups." This article tells readers about the academic and achievement gap of not just between the upper and middle classes, but also between races.

"Income inequality in the United States has increased significantly since the 1970s after several decades of stability, meaning the share of the nation's income received by higher income households has increased. This trend is evident with income measured both before taxes (market income) as well as after taxes and transfer payments. Income inequality has fluctuated considerably since measurements began around 1915, moving in an arc between peaks in the 1920s and 2000s, with a 30-year period of relatively lower inequality between 1950-1980." This article outlines what income inequality is, and how it is impacting America.

"Some inequality of income and wealth is inevitable, if not necessary. If an economy is to function well, people need incentives to work hard and innovate. The pertinent question is not whether income and wealth inequality is good or bad. It is at what point do these inequalities become so great as to pose a serious threat to our economy, our ideal of equal opportunity and our democracy." This article explains why inequality is necessary for a healthy government. Being in the Gilded Age again shows possibility, if everybody, including the government, puts their best effort in making it true.

"Data shows that 27 percent of low-income third-grade students and 41 percent of those students in eighth grade are not reading on grade level. Only 7 percent of higher-income students in the third grade and 15 percent of those students in eighth grade are reading below grade level." This was helpful because it talks about how the opportunity gap affects people. It helps you to understand what it is, and its effect not just on people, but how it makes certain races look.

"Inequality itself is the wrong thing to look at," he told me. The real problem is slow growth." In this article, the author makes a claim that income inequality isn't the problem American and President Obama should be looking at. The problem we need to pay more attention to is slow growth. It also says that if more Americans were better educated, income inequality wouldn't be as big of a problem.

"Obama stands up for students' future." Talks about how Obama stands up for "middle-class families" college saving plans. Obama helps students with their college saving plans.

American schools in high poverty areas have the education of schools in developing countries. In contrast those in more well-endowed areas are receiving educations that can be considered some of the best in the world. A report on equity in education, issued by a congressionally-mandated commission, has shown no new solutions to this rising problem but rather rephrased old solutions that have not helped the U.S. before and will not now.

"Early next year, the Agriculture Department will award $200 million to as many as 10 states conducting pilot projects that help food stamp recipients get into the workforce." This article addresses the benefits for those using food stamps, as well as what is being done to aid them in finding employment and slowly becoming responsible for their own needs and income. It discusses goals of the food stamp program, including helping those in the program find work. However, the article also mentions that the purpose of food stamps is to aid those who are unfit for work and to advocate anti-hunger.

"The middle class that President Obama identified in his State of the Union speech last week as the foundation of the American economy has been shrinking for almost half a century." This article talks about what the definition of middle class is and the major differences between the upper and middle classes in the United States today. It also talks about what President Obama is doing to try and help "revive" the middle class.

"In the late 1960s, more than half of the households in the United States were squarely in the middle, earning, in today's dollars, $35,000 to $100,000 a year. Few people noticed or cared as the size of that group began to fall, because the shift was primarily caused by more Americans climbing the economic ladder into upper-income brackets. But since 2000, the middle-class share of households has continued to narrow, the main reason being that more people have fallen to the bottom." This article addresses the increasing income gap between the upper and lower class of America, as well as the shrinking middle class caused by more and more people falling to the bottom. It also provides data on the dramatic differences between each class, including general composition and average income; the results of income cause differences in lifestyle and needs.

"Across the country, people and places are being transformed by choice or circumstance. We're telling some of their stories this month in a series called Starting Over. In this latest installment, we go to Seattle, where the average unemployment rate for people under the age of 25 is more than twice the national average. Carolyn Adolph of KUOW reports on a young woman who changed her life by bridging the opportunity gap - that space between wanting a better life and actually getting it." This is an interview conducted to address the opportunity gap of America. It offers insight from someone who was able to overcome the gap.