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Teenage Mothers Speak Out on Welfare

As unwed teenage mothers on welfare, we strongly disagree on the issues being brought up about welfare. Even though we have made an irresponsible choice in our lives, this does not give the Republicans the right to degrade us as mothers. Welfare is not a permanent state of income; it is a temporary service to help us until we educate ourselves. There are welfare mothers who are willing to work, but we can get only minimum-wage jobs and we cannot support ourselves or our families on that income.

A proposal that the Republicans brought up as an alternative to welfare is putting kids in orphanages. How can that even be a proposal?

There is a refusal to raise wages, and there is no job security for people. This makes it hard for us to support our families and makes us dependent on subsidy programs. It's not love that our children lack, it is money. What the government should focus on is helping to educate young mothers. We need jobs with higher wages and real security. Then we won't have to depend on subsidy programs as our source of income. Don't use us unwed mothers on welfare as your target. Look at the real issues: education a nd jobs. Then we will be able to financially secure ourselves and our children.

Charleeta Daniels, Khailah Darden, Crystal Gosa, Monique Grayson, Larreece Matthews, Janette Montalvo, Tracie Pruitt, Cynthia Rodriguez, and Maria Torres

Students from the GOALS class

Adult and Family Life Education

Cleveland public schools Cleveland