Joblessness for Minority Youth Reaches Historic High

[Nambe]

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 /U.S. Newswire

The release of today's Bureau of Labor Statistics report shows that only 32,000 jobs were created in July. Experts were expecting 215,000 to 247,000 new jobs.

Hidden in today's report is the exceptionally unsettling picture for minority youth. In July, the jobless rate for A frican American youth hit a historic high and the rate for Latino youth was near the all time worst. The jobless rate for all 16 to 19 year olds reached 56.1 percent in July, while the jobless rate for African American youth reached 75.1 percent and Latino youth reached almost 66 percent.

The Bush Administration and Congress could do much more to create jobs and lift families out of poverty. For example, fully funding the Child Care and Development Block Grant (a major source of child care funding) would generate an additional 1.8 million teaching positions. In addition, new management, custodial and bus driver positions would be generated. This child care assistance would also enable the parents of an additional 13,450,000 children to work and attend higher education programs to update their skills and earn additional income.

There are other remedies the federal government can employ. For example, fully funding the 21st Century Community Learning Centers would generate an additional 554,272 jobs in addition to giving up to 6 million children a supervised place to go after school. If Head Start were fully funded within the current framework of the law, to serve all eligible children, an additional 135,644 jobs would be generated. Further, if Early Head Start were fully funded within the current framework of the law, it would generate at least 807,821 additional jobs. ...

[havocmom]

1. And when that happens, gang and other crime increases. Prisons get

a big infusion of young, strong people.

States look for ways to pay for prisons.

Corporations make offers to states to pay for the privilege of using prison labor so they can save million$ by laying off law abiding workers who cost them more.

Those laid off workers, who used to pay taxes on their income, are now not making the same income tax payments, budgets get slashed more.

Schools get less resources to make sure they can educate the children.

More thousands of kids have no chance to get the education they need to get decent jobs.

Another increase in unemployment among minority youths.

Return to top and repeat, until the public gets a clue that they are being gobbled up en mass, no matter what ethnic group they belong to.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

2. Kerry will pull 95% of the black vote

topping Gore.

[One_Life_To_Give]

3. Farm Jobs?

Funny when I was growing up in the 70's. There were plenty of Farm Jobs available.

[justjones]

4. My neice just graduated high school & turned 18 and can't find a job.....

However, when I graduated high school in 1989, I was fully employed one month after graduating at 17. If she wasn't going to start school soon to learn a trade, she'd be even more screwed.

I just hope by the time she finishes trade school the jobs held by those who practice her trade aren't "outsourced" to another country so the wealthy can add another billion or two to their coffers.

It's a dismal situation for minority youth these days. I see the effects firsthand:(.

Edited for typo.

[Veggie Meathead]

5. Why bother with them?They don't count anyway.They are only

good to be sent to Iraq to get blown up.When they come back we will make sure their votes don't count. <end of sarcasm>

[AspenRose]

7. It makes you wonder

Keeping the unemployment high so those old enough to sign up for military service will end up losing their lives in Iraq.

Probably the most compelling part of Fahrenheit 9/11, for me, was seeing the Marine recruiters cruising the mall parking lot.

[lottie244]

6. Crime is also on the upswing. It's not just minority youth either.

A lot of non-minority youth are not counted because they don't necessarily need to work or contribute to household income. Nevertheless, they remain idle and "an idle mind is the devil's workshop."