JCCF NEWS SUMMARY
May 15, 2012

 

May is National Foster Care Month 
  
Photo by Kathleen Galligan, Detroit Free Press
.

Over 408,000 children are in the U.S. foster care system, according to the latest statistics provided by the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Report System (AFCARS).

 

The children in foster care and the adults who work to support them face daunting challenges, as documented in an ongoing series by The Arizona Republic and 12 News.  

 

Go Deeper:

  • Familiarize yourself with facts and figures about foster care. Casey Family Programs offers several fact sheets and the Child Welfare Information Gateway provides many state-specific resources in its digital library.    
  • Check out JCCF resource lists for more research and vetted experts.    
  • Read the stories youth in foster care have to tell in Represent Magazine.    

  

Jump to:

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Appointment TV: Precious Knowledge 


 
Photo Courtesy of ITVS 

At Tuscon High School, the
Mexican American Studies Program increased Latino graduation rates and was touted as a national model of educational success.


But s
tate politicians condemned the program as "Anti-American" and launched a campaign to abolish ethnic studies in Arizona public schools.

Precious Knowledge follows the students, teachers, parents, school officials and lawmakers embroiled in this battle over ethnic identity and education. 

The documentary premieres on PBS Independent Lens this week. Check your local listings.

 


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headlinesNEWS OF NOTE

 

Asians Often Burdened as Model Minority

National Journal, Doris Nhan | May 15, 2012

Asian Americans are widely perceived as high-achieving students who don't need much attention. A closer look at demographic data skewers the "model minority" stereotype and suggests that the community gets excluded from broader minority-education discussions.

 

Why Are Teen Moms Poor?

Slate, Matthew Yglesias | May 14, 2012

New research published in the Journal of Economic Perspectives shows poverty and inequality cause teens to have babies, not the other way around.

 

Minn. Guard Veterans Get Help in Return to Family Life

Minnesota Public Radio, Jessica Mador | May 14, 2012

After 18 months in Iraq, a U.S. soldier, a father of three, participates in a special parenting skills program.

 

Parents Urged to Talk, Make Contract with Their Teen Drivers

USA Today, Larry Copeland | May 13, 2012

The auto club AAA calls Memorial Day to Labor Day the "100 Deadliest Days" for teen drivers. Experts say speeding and distractions are more of a threat than drunk driving.


Mothers of Sex Offenders Share Responsibility, Burden of Label

CNN, Emanuella Grinberg | May 13, 2012

Parents of those convicted of sex offenses face humiliation, isolation and heartbreak; despite shame and blame, they advocate on behalf of their children.

 

Foster Hurdles Steep, but Rewards Greater

Cincinnati Enquirer, Jane Prendergast | May 13, 2012

What to expect when you are expecting to become a foster parent. A reporter shares her journey to motherhood.

 

Cleveland Plain Dealer, Pat Galbincea | May 10, 2012

Taken from his home at 218 pounds and sent to live with an uncle, an obese boy has been returned home after losing 50 pounds. Child and Family Services is monitoring his health and offering nutritional counseling.

 

Voices of Immigrant Women Breaking the Shackles (Opinion)

New America Media, Camilo Garcia | May 10, 2012

Latina women in Tennessee talk of trauma and fear, as local police enforce federal immigration law.

 

Ultra-Orthodox Jews Shun Their Own for Reporting Child Sexual Abuse

New York Times, Sharon Otterman and Ray Rivera | May 9, 2012

Abuse victims and their families have faced rejection, harassment, intimidation, bribes, eviction, even expulsion from schools and synagogues, for reporting cases of child sexual abuse within the insular orthodox Jewish community.

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Events
EVENTS
Putting Quality First: Improving Children's Experiences in Child Care and Early Learning
May 16, 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. EST
New America Foundation
Washington, D.C. 
As research continues to highlight the importance of early child care and education, figuring out how to provide more families with quality care has become one of the great challenges of social and family policy. Panelists and policy experts will discuss how to address this challenge. 

From Generation to Generation: The Past, Present and Future of National Investments
May 21, 12 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Pew Conference Center
Washington, D.C. or video livestream
Janice Eberly, the Treasury Department's assistant secretary for economic policy and chief economist, will discuss wealth distribution across generations. 
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OPPORTUNITIES
 

Deadline: May 15

SparkAction

The SparkOpportunity Challenge asks young people to share their ideas on how to create local jobs and opportunities for their peers. Submit a video or write a short proposal and upload it to the SparkOpportunity websiteWinners will receive small start-up grants, an iPad and mentoring. There is no age limit to participate, although some of the awards target youth under age 24. 

 
Deadline: May 18
Feet in 2 Worlds
The weekend workshop for immigrant and ethnic media journalists in New York City will focus on developing audio skills and refining story pitches. Participants will gain hands-on experience in audio field recording and digital audio editing. Attendance is free, but is based on acceptance of your application. 

 

 

Deadline: May 28
International Center for Journalists and Scripps Howard Foundation

The immigration reporting program brings together journalists from the U.S. Spanish and English-language media for a week-long training on how to cover immigration issues using multimedia tools. The 2012 program will have a special focus on the U.S. presidential election and immigration.

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ABOUT THE JCCF NEWS SUMMARY

Mina Dixon, Editor 


The Journalism Center on Children & Families, a program of the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism, is a national nonprofit organization committed to supporting media coverage of children, youth and families, particularly the disadvantaged. The JCCF News Summary helps journalists and others keep in touch with the latest news, policy analysis and research reports on critical social issues that impact families and communities. We encourage redistribution of this material with credit given to the Journalism Center on Children & Families.

Journalists are encouraged to submit their stories for consideration for publication in the JCCF News Summary and on our website. Please send story links to: [email protected]. Stories should be archived and free of access charges for at least seven days.
 
JCCF thanks The Annie E. Casey Foundation for its generous support of our work.
 
www.journalismcenter.org

 

Minding the Kids   
Center Director Julie Drizin's latest column provoked a vibrant conversation on The New York Times's Motherlode blog 
   


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