A student in Ilion missed school for a week. When he finally returned to class, he explained he hadn’t had access to a washing machine and he couldn’t come to school in dirty clothes.
Another student – a 9-year-old in Rochester – missed school because he felt the need to stay home to protect his Mother in a house with no locks.
These are just two of the stories captured in 1 IN 5, a new long-form New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) film about the devastating impact of childhood poverty in New York State.
New York is one of the wealthiest regions in the world, a global leader in industry, finance and innovation – yet, one in five Children in our State lives in poverty, meaning more than 760,000 students aren’t getting their basic needs met.
And the number of families living in poverty in New York has grown 10% since 2010, while the number struggling to make ends meet has grown even faster, at 21%.
Every day, Educators see first-hand how unmet basic needs keep their students from thriving, and NYSUT’s timely film – which took a year to complete and includes the voices of Educators, parents and advocates – explores the stark reality these students face in rural, suburban and urban communities.
In the film, Music Teacher Zachary Arenz, a Member of Rochester Teachers Association, talks about how what happens to students at home bleeds into their academic life, and keeps them from reaching their full potential: “I’m honored to have had even a small part in this project. (1 IN 5) reflects what educators are seeing every day: Students’ academic success is often tied to their lived experiences and that meaningful change will require partnership between schools, families and policymakers.”
The film also captures the perspectives of Teachers at Syracuse STEM at Blodgett Middle School where 95% of students live below the poverty line.
Syracuse has the worst childhood poverty rate in the U.S. among larger cities.
“I feel like subconsciously our kids deal with, ‘I’m not meant to be here. I’m not loved. No one really cares about me,’” said Leeza Roper, an ELA Teacher and Member of Syracuse Teachers Association.
The film also shows to what lengths dedicated Educators are going every day to help address poverty’s effects on their students, including clothing closets, coat drives, food distribution programs, back-pack programs and more.
Finally, the film introduces some of the most promising policies for addressing this issue, including Community Schools, which have proven to be remarkably successful when it comes to improving student outcomes.
“One of the most effective tools we have is the Community Schools model (which) serve as vital hubs, providing wraparound services that support family health, community safety and children’s needs,” NYSUT President Melinda Person said.
To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: New NYSUT film confronts childhood poverty in New York
To Watch The Film, Go To: 1 in 5: Confronting Childhood Poverty in New York