20% increase in homelessness in Duluth

The most sobering information discussed at yesterday’s Education Committee meeting was covered in today’s Trib. That story begins:

“The Duluth school district and its Head Start program are expected to serve 550 homeless youth by the end of the school year, a number that has increased by more than 20 percent since 2012.”

A twenty percent increase!

I can’t help but link this to some of the ugly national politics I’m seeing. This could be the local trauma underlying a nation with flat wages, a growing wealth divide, the lure of opioid drugs, a massive dependence upon incarceration to get problems out of sight and a loss of national confidence.

I’d raise taxes if I thought we could help these kids who now constitute 6-7% of our students. Ah, but remember what I told Marci. First I would campaign for reelection on the tax raising platform and give voters the chance to shoot me down.

About the author

Harry is a ferociously good natured eccentric in Duluth Minnesota who detests traitors dressed up as Uncle Sam. You can find somewhat better edited writings of his at the Duluth Reader "contributors." page. The URL is:

https://duluthreader.com/contributors/h/84/284-harry-welty