The poverty rate of school-age children remains above pre-recession levels in nearly 30 percent of the nation’s 3,140 counties. The rate rose in 928 counties from 2007 to 2013, as depicted in the map above, and fell in just 15 counties,...
The day after Rolling Stone published its now-notorious feature about a gruesome fraternity gang rape at the University of Virginia, UVA President Teresa Sullivan issued a statement defending her school. The language she used was oddly...
This article in the Huffington Post about an AP compilation (over 8 months they canvassed all fifty states) on children dying while involved in America’s child protection systems makes it clear that the issues being discussed by MN...
For many American workers, this is the time of year for tying up loose ends and taking it easy. For Simon Ting, this is the time of year for working harder than ever. Ting, 24, works at a Macy’s in San Francisco, and he’s paid...
When she went to prison on drug charges, Stephanie George was 26 years old, a mother to three young kids. Over 17 years behind bars, her grandparents died. Her father died. But the worst came just months before her release. "I lost my baby...
In the aftermath of the recent hostage situation in Sydney, Kim Felmingham - clinical psychologist and neuroscientist at the University of Tasmania – describes the importance of social networks and a sense of community to pull people in the...
We have all heard of the stories of support and encouragement that have enabled an individual to grow into the person they are today – a teacher who tutors a lower performing student who then becomes a teacher; the nurse who gives incredible...
Last week, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, introduced the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2014. The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) provides state...
This was an encouraging week for those alarmed at the way the U.S. pumps children into the criminal justice system and what it does to them once they are there. On Capitol Hill, at the Department of Education, in a Texas courtroom and in...
As a young probation officer some 28 years ago I was convinced that my studies and life experience had prepared me to single-handedly improve the academic achievement of my clients, their relationships with their family and community, and their...
Poor students get more fruits and vegetables at school than they do at home, a new study finds. But, the opposite is true for students from wealthier families. These findings show that having fruits and vegetables at school may give a healthy boost to...
Yoga has long been believed to improve overall health, but a growing body of evidence shows the ancient practice may also help the heart, a new review finds. In fact, the benefits were similar to those of conventional exercise such as brisk walking,...
Mayor Bill de Blasio’s ambitious plan for cutting the number of mentally ill people in New York’s jails will require a great deal of ingenuity and a big shift in priorities by the police, the courts, and social service and housing...
When it comes to teenage drinking, the typical venue is a party — where some teens play drinking games and binge. It may surprise you to learn that the majority of parents are aware that alcohol is flowing at these events. On any given...
What is more powerful than adults teaching teens how to move on from the pain and trauma of the past – teens teaching other teens how to thrive in spite of the challenges and pain they have experienced. For local high school students Mina...