BYU Speeches Making Strong Families a National Priority | Melissa S. Kearney | 2024
Nov 20, 2024
In this discussion, Melissa S. Kearney, a prominent economics professor at the University of Maryland specializing in poverty and income inequality, emphasizes the importance of strong family structures. She highlights the alarming decline of two-parent homes in the U.S. and its detrimental effects on children. Kearney advocates for making family support a national priority, suggesting that investments in vocational training and relationship education will bolster parenting skills and tackle child poverty, ultimately paving the way for a more equitable society.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Family Structure Drives Inequality
- Family structure strongly impacts children's outcomes and economic inequality.
- Declining two-parent households worsen poverty and social mobility issues in the U.S.
Personal Story Behind Research
- Melissa Kearney shares her personal experience as a parent and child of a two-parent family.
- This background informs her conviction about the benefits of stable two-parent households.
Decline in Two-Parent Homes
- The share of U.S. children living with married parents dropped from 77% to 63%.
- Only a minority live with cohabiting parents; 30% live outside two-parent homes, the highest among 130 countries.
