Thursday, Jul. 10, 2008

Report again reveals poor state of South Carolina’s children

IT’S NO SURPRISE that the latest Kids Count report once again points out how poorly South Carolina’s children fare across the board — whether it’s in academic achievement or overall health and well-being.

The sad part is that our children are hurting, lagging, failing and dropping out, and we’re not doing all we can to help. Parents are failing to nurture and prepare kids in the early years. Lawmakers have failed to offer statewide 4K to ensure our youngest are ready for school. Communities and civic organizations fall short in helping those who fall through the cracks.

Indeed, the bulk of the blame should be placed at the feet of families, which play the major role in determining a child’s success. But when parents and families fail — and many do for various reasons, not all of their own doing — churches, community and government must step in. It’s not so much about bailing out adults; it’s about lifting up children who will one day be the mothers and fathers, workers and leaders we need to ensure our state is competitive and its future bright.

In the 19th annual Kids Count, South Carolina ranks 46th nationally in children’s ability to perform. The state only ranks ahead of Alabama, New Mexico, Louisiana and Mississippi. The Palmetto State ranks in the bottom 10 states on seven of 10 indicators. The report reveals that since 2000, the percentages of South Carolina children living in poverty, in single-parent homes and with unemployed parents have risen:

• Twenty-six percent of mothers get less-than-adequate prenatal care, leading to health risks for newborns.

• Forty percent of the babies in South Carolina are born to single mothers, up from 35 percent in 2000.

• More than 19 percent of South Carolina's children live in poor families.

• Fourteen percent of first-graders aren’t ready.

• Thirty-three percent of all 10th-grade students fail one or more parts of the high school exit exam on their first attempt.

• Thirty-six percent of this state’s children — up from 31 percent — live in homes where parents don’t have full-time jobs. Twenty-two percent of children, up from 19 percent, live with families with incomes of less than $20,444 for a family of four.

In addition, South Carolina locks up young people at a far higher rate than the national average. For every 100,000 young people ages 10-15, the state detains 185, compared with 125 nationally. Young people put behind bars have the worst odds at long-term success, with disturbing and costly consequences, the report said. While this raises concerns about what children are being taught and the impact, or lack thereof, of parents in kids’ lives, it also illustrates the impact of South Carolina’s policy to lock ’em up and forget ’em: Whether it’s juveniles or adults, we’re among the states that throw away far too many people.

Here’s a particularly scary assertion by the report: A half-million children in South Carolina are at risk of becoming unskilled, disconnected and unproductive adults. That’s right: 500,000.

Our state’s poor showing should compel us all — parents, policymakers, educators, children’s service providers and the public — to do better in meeting the needs of children, youth and families. Ultimately, the success of our state will rest on the well-being of our children. We must do better.