NET Nebraska recently delved into what it means to be a homeless student in Nebraska. When most of us hear “homeless,” the word conjures certain images in our minds. But Bryan Seck’s job as homeless outreach specialist for Lincoln Public Schools is to change that perception. “Family homelessness is not folks on the street,” Seck explains. “Family homelessness is working class people and something bad has happened to them and they don’t have savings.”
The number one cause of family homelessness is domestic violence. The consequences of violence can be horrible for a family. Those effects can include staying with relatives and other unstable living arrangements—and that can have a negative impact on a student’s classroom grades and attitude.
Often, the parents of homeless students have been deported, are doubling up with other families, or are living in sub-standard housing.
