This is a letter I received from the Chairman of The Children Movement of Florida, I am thankful for his efforts. His letter is a wake up call to every one of us,  are we doing enough to protect the future leaders of our beautiful Nation? 

Here is what Dave has to say.... Happy 4th of July!

While we celebrate, let us remember...

Dear Gladys:

I’m a student and reader of history – usually at least a book a week – and my work with The Children’s Movement is built upon what I learn. I believe that a “movement” is about all of us and all children. In my estimation no progress in human history – with the exception of science and medicine -- was achieved with anything less than pushing and shoving. The civil rights movement, the feminist movement, the very birth of our country – none came without people pushing…shoving…insisting (while, yes, trying to be courteous whenever possible).

On this day of celebration of freedom, I look back on the progress that we’ve made (and there has been progress), and find myself sobered by the statistics that tell us how much further we must go:

• The more than a half-million children in our state without basic health insurance.
• 38 percent of our public school fourth graders cannot at grade level – and 90 percent of Florida’s children go to public school (and far higher amongst minority children).
• Almost a quarter of Florida’s children live in the full federal definition of poverty. (How can this be in the richest, most generous country in the world?)

Today, as we celebrate our much-blessed country, let us not forget that nothing is more “American” than our insisting that every child has the chance to succeed in both school and in life.

Dave Lawrence
Chair
The Children’s Movement of Florida

 info@childrensmovementflorida.org