George Clevelands remarks on poverty come under fire

RALEIGH A state lawmakers comment Thursday that no one in North Carolina lives in extreme poverty drew reproach from a ranking committee member as well as incredulity from advocates for children during a meeting to examine eligibility changes to the states pre-kindergarten program. Rep. George Cleveland, R-Onslow, said he was skeptical about a House committee report that read there are an increasing number of children vital in extreme poverty. Cleveland said he believed the government keeps redefining poverty to make sure that we have a poverty class. We have no one in the state of North Carolina vital in extreme poverty. We might governmentally say they are, but theyre not, Cleveland said, pointing to developing countries where he said extreme poverty really exists. Extreme poverty is that youre out there vital on a dollar as well as a half day. I dont think we have anybody in North Carolina doing that. The committee examining early childhood education ended up scaling behind its recommendations for changing the North Carolina Pre-Kindergarten program as well as called on the full General Assembly this spring to establish criteria to help 4-yearolds with the greatest need. But the comments by Cleveland, a former Marine known around the Legislative Building for speaking his mind, changed the meetings tenor. Rob Thompson, executive director of the Covenant with North Carolinas Children, called Clevelands notion about extreme poverty in the state absolutely ridiculous. GOP Rep. Justin Burr, co-chairman of the committee studying publicly-funded early childhood education, took issue with Clevelands comments during the meeting as well as said people in his district were hurting as well as needed assistance. There is a rising level of poverty in this state, certainly with the way the (U.S.) economy is as well as the global economy, Burr said afterward. A draft report last week suggested that prekindergarten assistance should be limited largely to children v! ital at or below the poverty level a departure from current income threshold rules that allow more children to qualify. The panel leadership also backed off a proposal to ultimately allow only private providers to offer what used to be called the More at Four program. About half the more than 1,100 NC Pre-K sites are in public schools as well as fewer than 30 percent are run by private child care providers. Democratic Gov. Beverly Perdues administration as well as her allies in early childhood education had argued the draft changes would have denied access to tens of thousands of children as well as eroded what has been an effective program. Burr, R-Stanly, said the changes were made in response to public input over the past several days. No one voted against the ultimate recommendations, which now go to the full House for consideration. Census figures show about 1.6 million people, or 17.5 percent of the states population, were vital in poverty based on federal guidelines in North Carolina in 2010, compared to 16.3 percent in 2009. About one in four children were vital at or below the poverty level. More than 728,000 North Carolinians were vital in what some experts label deep poverty in 2010, meaning they earn half the federal poverty level, or at the time about $11,000 for a family of four. Nearly all of the 24,700 children currently enrolled in NC Pre-K qualify based on current eligibility that caps family incomes at or below 75 percent of the state median income, or $50,975 for a family of four. Burr said hes still concerned the program isnt targeting the neediest children: more than 30,000 4-year-olds who live at or below the poverty level. The poverty level is the threshold used by federal Head Start school programs nationwide. The poverty line is a very fair indicator of substantial hardship for children, Thompson said after the meeting. I would encourage Rep. Cleveland to go out as well as look at some of the areas that are impoverished as well as see if hed be ! willing to say the same thing again. Cleveland attempted to remove a reference to extreme poverty in the final report but later withdrew his amendment. Reached later in his legislative office, Cleveland wouldnt behind down from his committee statements as well as suggested reporters were making a negative story out of something that is factually true. Im sure there are hungry people in North Carolina, but to say they are vital in extreme poverty in North Carolina, I think thats an overstatement. Public statements by the 72-year-old Cleveland often are blunt. On Wednesday, Cleveland spoke at another committee meeting where he decried illegal immigrants as the source of drug as well as gun crime. In response, some young Hispanics in the audience began shouting their opposition. The General Assembly police ultimately arrested three demonstrators. Otherwise, advocacy groups as well as others praised the committee for listening to their concerns as well as responding by altering their report. Im very pleased that everything was addressed today, said Jennifer Ogle of Lexington, whose twin daughters are receiving NC Pre-K services. She said she wouldnt qualify under the tougher income guidelines discussed. They did listen. Powered By iWebRSS.co.cc