During high school, Suffolk Law 1L Timothy Scalona was homeless, living in and out of shelters and cheap hotels. In a recent Washington Post opinion piece, he draws on that experience to explain how current laws could more effectively address the educational needs of homeless students.
In the Sept. 7, 2021, editorial, Scalona spotlights a growing crisis for homeless students, as access to and the quality of local and federal educational resources have diminished over time. The problems have gotten worse during the pandemic and the ending of the federal eviction moratorium, he explains.
A federal program to address the educational needs of homeless youth—the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act— “guarantees ‘equal access to the same free, appropriate public education ... as provided to other children and youths,’” Scalona writes. “However, the law does not provide sufficient resources to truly support that educational guarantee, or to ensure compliance with its mandated protections.”
He calls for Congress to restructure the program to “require that homeless liaisons … be appropriately trained and connected with area resources” to best serve the youths, and to address the broader homelessness crisis.
Scalona concludes, “I hope to one day defend people experiencing eviction and housing insecurity, while addressing systemic policy failures—many of which my family confronted.”
Images (top) Getty, (right) Michael J. Clarke
By Katy Ibsen
Law Briefs
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Timothy Scalona
By Katy Ibsen
LAW BRIEFS
During high school, Suffolk Law 1L Timothy Scalona was homeless, living in and out of shelters and cheap hotels. In a recent Washington Post opinion piece, he draws on that experience to explain how current laws could more effectively address the educational needs of homeless students.
In the Sept. 7, 2021, editorial, Scalona spotlights a growing crisis for homeless students, as access to and the quality of local and federal educational resources have diminished over time. The problems have gotten worse during the pandemic and the ending of the federal eviction moratorium, he explains.
A federal program to address the educational needs of homeless youth—the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act— “guarantees ‘equal access to the same free, appropriate public education ... as provided to other children and youths,’” Scalona writes. “However, the law does not provide sufficient resources to truly support that educational guarantee, or to ensure compliance with its mandated protections.”
He calls for Congress to restructure the program to “require that homeless liaisons … be appropriately trained and connected with area resources” to best serve the youths, and to address the broader homelessness crisis.
Scalona concludes, “I hope to one day defend people experiencing eviction and housing insecurity, while addressing systemic policy failures—many of which my family confronted.”
Images (top) Getty, (right) Michael J. Clarke