In the course of the November election, one group of citizens with a limited voice has gotten little attention: Children.
Steve Pardo of the Detroit News reports that a grass-roots organization comprised of residents from four large Detroit neighborhoods are asking city candidates in the upcoming election to put children first when they take office.
Pardo writes:
The resident-led community groups from Osborn, Cody Rouge, Southwest Detroit and Brightmoor said they have distributed more than 25,000 fliers since the spring and collected about 8,000 signatures from residents promising support for a “Children’s Agenda” — a pledge calling for politicians to focus on improvements in education, safety, youth development and jobs.
The group is asking for Detroit City Council candidates and incumbents as well as mayoral candidates Mike Duggan and Benny Napoleon for their support. The goal is to keep children’s issues in the forefront in the months to come, said Kristen McDonald, vice president of program and policy at the Skillman Foundation in Detroit, which has been working with the community leaders and parents in the neighborhoods.
