Why did Asahi Shinbun write "子{こ}ども" instead of "子供{こども}" in this headline?


I just happened across an [Asahi Shinbun
article](http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASF0TKY201312240470.html) with a
headline that reads:  
日本{にほん}の子{こ}どもの幸福度{こうふくど}は６位{い} 豊{ゆた}かさの一方{いっぽう}、深刻{しんこく}な貧困{ひんこん}

(-) Compacting articles as much as possible is a standard practice in every
newspaper in the world. Yet, the 3 character long "子ども" was written instead of
the 2 character long "子供".

(-) My understanding is that "ども" in "子供" is not 送{おく}り仮名{がな}。 If somehow it
is, I hope someone can elaborate? "送り仮名" does not happen after tangible nouns,
right?

The writer of that headline absolutely has a reason for writing "子ども", but I
cannot imagine what it is. Conserving space in a newspaper is paramount, and
"子供" looks good to me.

thank you.




The reason is the negativity associated with the plural suffix 「供」, which
tends to be used in a derogatory way as in 「[野郎供]{やろうども}」, 「[雑魚供]{ざこども}」, etc.
" **Mouths to feed** " is what 「子供」 could sound/look like and unfortunately
that is what the word used to often imply because Japan has not always been a
wealthy nation like it is now.

In schools (Japanese schools. of course), I myself never officially learned to
write 「こども」 or 「子ども」 entirely in kanji -- **never**. I had, for that reason,
long been wondering why Japanese-learners write it in kanji. However, in June
of 2013, our Ministry of Education changed its mind and announced that it
would use 「子供」 in all of its official documents.

<http://www.j-cast.com/2013/09/01182664.html?p=all>

I myself will probably keep writing it as 「こども」 or 「子ども」 because old habits
die hard, but since last June, we suddenly have every reason to write it as
「子供」. Newspapers can go either way because they are not official documents
issued by the government.




The reason is the negativity associated with the plural suffix 「供」, which
tends to be used in a derogatory way as in 「[野郎供]{やろうども}」, 「[雑魚供]{ざこども}」, etc.
" **Mouths to feed** " is what 「子供」 could sound/look like and unfortunately
that is what the word used to often imply because Japan has not always been a
wealthy nation like it is now.

In schools (Japanese schools. of course), I myself never officially learned to
write 「こども」 or 「子ども」 entirely in kanji -- **never**. I had, for that reason,
long been wondering why Japanese-learners write it in kanji. However, in June
of 2013, our Ministry of Education changed its mind and announced that it
would use 「子供」 in all of its official documents.

<http://www.j-cast.com/2013/09/01182664.html?p=all>

I myself will probably keep writing it as 「こども」 or 「子ども」 because old habits
die hard, but since last June, we suddenly have every reason to write it as
「子供」. Newspapers can go either way because they are not official documents
issued by the government.

