Most expensive private schools offer LOTS of scholarships. I went to an expensive private school and had several classmates who were on full scholarships, including one who had 3 sisters also on full scholarship at the school. As for the home, it’s the equity in the home that would count, along with the parents income. Little home equity and very modest income can easily meet the test for a scholarship.
In the early 1990s real estate crash, I had a nephew on full scholarship at a very elite school. His family was living in a house which had recently been on the market for $12 million. The family never had any equity in the house. It was bought with 100% financing from a bank which felt it would easily resell at a huge profit after some renovations, which the family was well-qualified to oversee. After the family had to declare bankruptcy (the father was a mortgage broker and that business had dropped through the floor), the bank let them keep living in the house for several years at no cost, until the market recovered, since they maintained the place well. But they had very, very low income during those years. Just because a business has been profitable for a number of years, doesn’t mean it stays that way, whether due to a change in the economic cycle, new competitors, liability suits, or any number of other factors.
I realize that you are doing your best to aid the liberal cause here, but a couple of things stand out. 1) They have a combined income of supposedly 45,000 with 4 kids. 2) somehow they not only feed and clothe these kids on this, but have what appears to be a very nice home even if it is “only” worth 300K 3)With 4 kids I’m sure they pay virtually NO taxes. 4) Pre-existing conditions can be covered under medicaid if they are serious enough (and nothing indicates that they had one) 5) No other details emerge from the accident, but according to the story it was in the family SUV. No mention of whether it was the mother’s fault, or why they didn’t have car insurance (maybe you expect taxpayers to pay for that too) 6) The family is obviously liberal activists (by the stickers on their car) 7) The family can afford tattoos 8) They can afford NYTimes wedding announcements 9)the hard-working family can “afford” to take a week off to record anti-Bush scripted advertisements.
Sorry, no sale on the pity angle. Too many questions. The fact that they were liberal activists long before this seals the deal for me.
That’s quite a fabulous story, have you ever considered short story writing as a career?