Monday, July 2, 2012

Two Percent of Students in Public Schools in Kent County Considered Homeless


Morgan Scott recalls vividly sleeping under a bridge on a cool, wet night last September.
That’s the night the Kentwood high school senior and her mother had yet another fight, but this time Morgan stormed out after their argument with no confidence their situation would improve.
But she had no idea how hard life would be the next nine months after joining Kent County’s rapidly growing homeless student population. Those are children and youths who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence as classified by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
"There was just a lot of stuff going on at the time in my household, and we decided it was best I leave," said Morgan, 19, who said her single mother was raising her and three younger teenage siblings alone after the death of her stepfather.