1. Groups Groups: “Let’s Get Married” Groups: “Let’s Get Married” Why aren’t more of the women in our text getting married, back in the years when they are having babies and raising kids? Why aren’t more of the women in our text getting married, back in the years when they are having babies and raising kids? Should the government be in the business of promoting marriage. Why or why not? Should the government be in the business of promoting marriage. Why or why not? What’s the trend with marriage in the other affluent democracies—and why? What’s the trend with marriage in the other affluent democracies—and why?

2. Conflict Theory Competition between groups over material goods, opportunities, values, and meaning the normal condition of society Competition between groups over material goods, opportunities, values, and meaning the normal condition of society Sociology the study of the ways in which inequalities generate group conflict and are resolved Sociology the study of the ways in which inequalities generate group conflict and are resolved Inequalities of age, gender, and sexuality particularly central to families Inequalities of age, gender, and sexuality particularly central to families Families are also the typical units of race and class conflicts. Families are also the typical units of race and class conflicts.

3. Low income budget: mother and 2 preschool children--expenses Rent650 (360—Section 8) Rent650 (360—Section 8) Phone40Electric40 Phone40Electric40 Garbage25Cable tv30 Garbage25Cable tv30 Food/etc455 ( a couple of meals out) Food/etc455 ( a couple of meals out) Bus/cab 58Clothing40 Bus/cab 58Clothing40 Minn Care60Daycare783 Minn Care60Daycare783 Total Expenses: 2181/mo Total Expenses: 2181/mo With section 8, Total expenses: 1890 With section 8, Total expenses: 1890

4. Income Monthly = 40 x7 x 4.35 x.938 = $1143 +$137 EITC = 1280 Monthly = 40 x7 x 4.35 x.938 = $1143 +$137 EITC = 1280 What if she makes $8/hr? 1306 + 156 = $1462 What if she makes $8/hr? 1306 + 156 = $1462 What if she makes $9/hr? $1469 +178 = What if she makes $9/hr? $1469 +178 = 1647 1647 What if she borrows the other 2650 from EITC in January or February? What if she borrows the other 2650 from EITC in January or February?

5. Low Income Budget Suggestions from groups last year Suggestions from groups last year Night and weekend jobs Night and weekend jobs More education… apply for TANF and go to school? More education… apply for TANF and go to school? Childcare assistance… yes but what about the deficit? Childcare assistance… yes but what about the deficit? Food stamps Food stamps Find a husband (a better one this time) Find a husband (a better one this time) What else could she do? What else could she do?

6. Groups Discussion questions from chapter 6 and the conclusion Discussion questions from chapter 6 and the conclusion National Center for Child Poverty, 2011: 21% of children live in families below the poverty line ($22,050 for a family of 4) National Center for Child Poverty, 2011: 21% of children live in families below the poverty line ($22,050 for a family of 4) 25% of children under age 6 25% of children under age 6

7. Who are these poor families and what can be done? They’re the families you’ve been reading about in Promises I Can Keep, along with a substantial group from rural areas and inner ring suburbs… more likely minorities and/or recent immigrants, They’re the families you’ve been reading about in Promises I Can Keep, along with a substantial group from rural areas and inner ring suburbs… more likely minorities and/or recent immigrants, What can we change as a society that would make a difference, especially for the children? What can we change as a society that would make a difference, especially for the children?

8. What can we do at the state level?: the MFIP Demonstration Project 14,000 welfare recipients and applicants, randomly assigned to either MFIP or AFDC in 1994… followed closely for three years. 14,000 welfare recipients and applicants, randomly assigned to either MFIP or AFDC in 1994… followed closely for three years. “Turning Welfare into a Work Support: Six- year impacts on Parents and Children from the Minnesota Family Investment Program” July 2005 “Turning Welfare into a Work Support: Six- year impacts on Parents and Children from the Minnesota Family Investment Program” July 2005

9. Would encouraging marriage help? William Doherty, Department of Family Social Sciences, University of Minnesota William Doherty, Department of Family Social Sciences, University of Minnesota Minnesota Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood Initiative Minnesota Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood Initiative $5 surcharge on marriage licenses $5 surcharge on marriage licenses 30% of children in Twin Cities born outside marriage; more than half of parents express interest in marriage (but only about 13% do marry) 30% of children in Twin Cities born outside marriage; more than half of parents express interest in marriage (but only about 13% do marry) Mentoring program Mentoring program Screen for violence, severe substance abuse Screen for violence, severe substance abuse

10. What do we as a society see as our obligation to children? Where are we as a society on the path to ensuring every child a “Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start,” as the Children’s Defense Fund motto puts it? Which of these would you endorse? Where are we as a society on the path to ensuring every child a “Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start,” as the Children’s Defense Fund motto puts it? Which of these would you endorse? Or is it our priority to insure these things primarily for our own kids and for “people like us?” Or is it our priority to insure these things primarily for our own kids and for “people like us?”

11. What about our top policy priorities at the national level? The War on Crime? The War on Crime? The War on Drugs? The War on Drugs? The War on Terror? The War on Terror? No Child Left Behind? No Child Left Behind? Health care reform? Health care reform? How are we doing?

12. New York Times, Feb 9, 2012 “Education Gap Grows Between Rich and Poor, Studies Say” “Education Gap Grows Between Rich and Poor, Studies Say” Stanford sociologist Sean Reardon: “The gap in standardized test scores between affluent and low-income students has grown by 40% since the 1960s Stanford sociologist Sean Reardon: “The gap in standardized test scores between affluent and low-income students has grown by 40% since the 1960s

13. U of Michigan Study “The imbalance between rich and poor children in college completion has grown by about 50% since the late 1980s.” “The imbalance between rich and poor children in college completion has grown by about 50% since the late 1980s.”

14. More Bad News New York Times, “Money and Morals,” Paul Krugman, Feb 9, 2012 New York Times, “Money and Morals,” Paul Krugman, Feb 9, 2012 “Among white Americans with a high school education or less, marriage rates and male labor force participation are down, while births outside wedlock are up.” “Among white Americans with a high school education or less, marriage rates and male labor force participation are down, while births outside wedlock are up.”

15. White male high school grads “Entry level wages have fallen 23% since 1973.” “Entry level wages have fallen 23% since 1973.” “In 1980, 65% of recent high school graduates working in the private sector had health benefits, but by 2009, that was down to 29%.” “In 1980, 65% of recent high school graduates working in the private sector had health benefits, but by 2009, that was down to 29%.” Summing it up: last three paragraphs of Krugman Summing it up: last three paragraphs of Krugman

16. “Concerted Cultivation?” Back to the February 9 article “One reason for the growing gap in achievement, researchers say, could be that wealthy parents invest more time and money than ever in their children (in weekend sports, ballet, music lessons, math tutors and overall involvement in their children’s schools.” “One reason for the growing gap in achievement, researchers say, could be that wealthy parents invest more time and money than ever in their children (in weekend sports, ballet, music lessons, math tutors and overall involvement in their children’s schools.”

17. Monday’s Exam Bring number two pencil Bring number two pencil Sit in every other seat beginning from the far right as you face the front. Sit in every other seat beginning from the far right as you face the front. Bring movie worksheets for “Legacy” and “Let’s Get Married” Bring movie worksheets for “Legacy” and “Let’s Get Married”