Welfare Reform-Calling All Lawyers

[cleanbyrd 1]

I recently quit my job as a prep cook.  I have been going to school full 
time, and working full-time.  I was compelled to do both because, at least 
in Indiana, the Division of Family and Children does not recognise full-time 
school as a legitimate pursuit of self-sufficiency.  My family of five still 
needed help so I had to work full-time to get the food stamps.  I made eight 
dollars and hour and still qualified for some food stamps, but not cash 
working a 32-35 hour week.  My resturant job required me to work weekends, 
so my fourteen year old babysat for the 7, 5, and 3 year old.  It's nobody's 
business why I have four children and no husband, but I will tell you I get 
no child support.  Okay, so I quit the job recently.

Now, I will receive a $405 dollar check for December, but I will be forced 
to either, enter the DFC job training program which is conflicts with my 
university classes, or put in 12 job applications each week, and document 
with signatures each job interview.  I have been told flat out that the goal 
of the DFC is for me to gain full-time employment, and that they will do 
nothing to support my attending college.

My point is, I am trapped in the one of lowest economic tiers of American 
society.  I see my only way for social mobility is higher education.  I am a 
junior now, and if I could get some support for my family for just two more 
years until I get some credentials, I might be able to move up a notch.  (By 
the way I have only used two months of my welfare reform time clock, so I 
have 1 year 10 months left if they would only give the aid to me)

It seems to me that the government wants  to keep a certain segment of the 
population impoverished, educationally and economically.  I understand why.  
Someone has to cook the food for these busy .com ers.  Someone has to clean 
the toilets.

Now maybe I don't deserve to advance.  I have wasted other opportunities in 
the past for various reasons.

I am told over an over again that if I work hard and pull the old bootstraps 
I will succeed.  I'm writing a poem about those of us without boots, or 
those of us with rotten bootstraps

Jennifer Young
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