Final answer:
The statement that the childhood poverty rate is proportional across races is false, as African Americans and Hispanics have higher poverty rates compared to whites, despite the larger absolute number of whites living below the poverty line (B).
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the childhood poverty rate is proportional across races is False. When we examine the data on poverty in the United States, we find significant disparities among different racial and ethnic groups. Poverty rates are not uniform across these groups. For instance, African Americans have a disproportionately higher percentage of individuals living in poverty compared to other races. In contrast, most people living below the poverty line are white, but this is due to the larger population size of whites in the United States.
Consequently, while the absolute number of whites in poverty may be higher, the poverty rate—that is, the percentage within the group living in poverty—is lower compared to groups like African Americans and Hispanics. Indeed, the poverty rate for African Americans has historically been about three times greater than that for whites.