MEMPHIS, Tenn. — There have been 10 murders across Memphis in less than a week. The Shelby County Crime Commission reports a 12% increase in violent crime from last year, and just last month, Le Bonheur reported more than 131 children have been treated with shooting injuries so far this year.
Local organizations are coming together to try and get to the root of the problem to stop the violence. Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope, also known as MICAH is a coalition of about 80 community and faith-based organizations.
The group said the priority should be stopping conflict before it turns into violence. Alexis Gwin-Miller, the co-chair for the education equity task force which is a part of MICAH said school districts and neighborhood crime goes hand and hand.
"I think the violence hit-home in so many households and children are looking for a way to express their emotion and grief and all the other things it brings to them," Gwin-Miller said.
Gwin-Miller said Shelby County needs more funding from the state so students can get the help they need. According to the Education Law Center, Tennessee only spends 2.86% of the taxpayer's income on public education, making it the 43rd in the US when it comes to public school funding.
Because of the lack of funding, SCS falls way below the nation's ratio's recommendations for nurses, counselors, and social worker staffing. According to data gathered by MICAH, the nationally recommended ratio for counselors is one counselor for every 250 students. In Shelby County, the ratio is one counselor for every 414 students. For nurses, the nation recommends is one nurse for every 750 students, in Shelby county, the current ratio is 1,207 students. For social workers, the nation's ratio is one school social worker for every 250 students, and in Shelby county it's one social worker for every 8,724 students.
Since counselors, nurses, and social workers help students and families find resources to address the different ills that they face, from poverty to inadequate health care, community violence, homelessness domestic violence, and so many other different things, Gwin-Miller said not having adequate staff is the root of the problem with the violence in Memphis.
Gwin-Miller said MICAH is working on a strategic plan to push for more funding and working with the NAACP to find a way to fill in the resource gap in Shelby County Schools.