Real cost of school cuts
I am concerned about the future costs of an increase in the number of illegitimate children in California if the school budget is reduced. Ill-educated children from schools serving lower socialeconomic areas that have a shortage of teachers cannot keep up scholastically.
These students will be more likely to drop out, and then they'll seek activities with peers of their level. After a time these young girls will find themselves in a family way.
In the first year we might see much change in the number of illegitimate children born. But in the second year through the fifth, it could explode.
Say we have 25 additional births a day in California. Times 365 days a year, that equals 9,125 new births a year. For a period of four years, that's 36,500 total births. At $800 each (estimating monthly, per-child welfare costs) over 12 months, that equals $9,600 a year. At the cost of $9,600 times 17 years for one child. that's $163,200. At the cost of $163,200 times the 36,000 children, that's more than $6 billion.
Let's put these additional costs in the equation:
* For 36,000 new welfare cases, how many new state employees will be needed?
* What will these addtional births cost, including mothers' expenses and child care, over 17 years?
Although some of these young girls will marry, the couple may apply for welfare because of their age and lack of work history. It all adds up to higher costs and workloads for law enforcement agencies, social services and the courts.
FRANK GRANT
Bakersfield
