By The Numbers

Over the past few days, I have read some studies that have me SMH more than usual. So, I thought that I would put up some numbers for you. These are studies from a variety of news sources. Yes, even FOX news. I know......but I want to make sure that it is fair and balanced.

Here is how MS stacks up:


Education: 48th in 2013
 http://hechingered.org/content/annual-poll-of-education-performance-ranks-mississippi-48th_6014/

High School Graduation: 75%, but for students with a LD it's 23%
http://www.governing.com/gov-data/high-school-graduation-rates-by-state.html


Teen Pregnancy: 2nd in 2011
 http://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-health-topics/reproductive-health/states/ms.html


Obesity: 1st in 2012
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/story/2012-08-13/obesity-rates-states/57031440/1


Poverty: 1st in 2012
http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/on-numbers/scott-thomas/2012/11/mississippi-has-worst-poverty-rate.html

Religiousness: 1st in 2013
 http://www.wjtv.com/story/24629526/mississippi-ranked-as-1-religious-state

Conservatism: 1st in 2013
 http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20140203/NEWS/302030032

Women's Health Care: 51st in 2012
 http://magazine.foxnews.com/food-wellness/10-worst-states-womens-health

Gay Rights: 50th in 2011 with only 13% of voters supporting gay marriage

http://www.thewire.com/national/2013/06/gay-marriage-state-polls-mapped-ranked/66626/


These are some really shocking numbers, or maybe not?? Stereotypes come from somewhere, and I think I have found where.

What I don't see, is measures to change these stereotypes. Maybe ignorance is bliss?

These studies do answer a lot of my questions as to the why? of this place. No wonder I bang my head everyday into the wall trying to make sense of things.  It's like the majority of the country has moved on, but Mississippi still remains decades behind.

What is that saying about you are only as strong as your weakest link? I am jumping up and down over here!!! Waving my hands in the air, screaming......"I found it, I found it!"  "I have found our nations weakest link"  Someone please care enough to fix it!!!

In a recent assignment at school, my daughter was asked to list 10 things she loved about Mississippi. It was the hardest assignment she had had to date. "Mom, really? 10 things?"  She came up with things like, sweet tea and Faulkner.  She got a 98/100 on the assignment. I said, why did you get points taken off? After all it was an opinion paper, and unless she forgot to put her name on it, I see no reason........
It was because one of her 10 things was this: NOT NORTH KOREA.  Hilarious. Right? I mean that's what, I too, love about this state. It's not a dictatorship. The teacher didn't get the joke. See, I am still SMH.