There has been a lot of talk about child protection and “parental rights” this legislative session.
But I have trouble understanding their argument. Many Republicans seem to believe that a child reads is not the concern of the child’s parents. And yet other Republicans voted against a bill stating that parents have every right to raise their children in a smoke filled carIn other words, they believe books are more hazardous than cigarettes.
The Republican representatives want “protect” girls’ sportsand thereby also attack and exclude transgender children who have a higher suicide rate and suicidal thoughts.
To “protect” children, West Virginia lawmakers want Arm teacher and retired police officers who say there is a shortage of law enforcement officers in the state.
Bill 4299 would allow elementary and secondary school teachers and principals to carry concealed firearms on school grounds after completing a background check and training. They would be called school security officers.
Now let’s summarize a few things. Teachers have discipline problems in elementary schools. Senator Amy Grady, R-Mason, has said that students throw things at teachers, spit on them, hit them, kick them, punch them, and bite them. Will these children immediately respect their armed teacher or will they try to overpower him and steal his weapon?
Around 91% of school shooters are former students. Is it fair to expect a teacher to be able to shoot and kill someone he knows and perhaps cares about?
Let’s look at the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. While a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers, 376 police officers responded, but it took more than an hour for someone to take out the shooter. It’s unfair to expect teachers to take out a threat when they aren’t as well trained as police.
And what about misplaced weapons? A Pennsylvania teacher resigned after leaving her gun in a bathroom, where students later found it. In 2018 Substitute teacher in Florida As he was showing third-graders how to do a backflip, a loaded gun fell from his waistband.
Another way Republican lawmakers hope to “help” children is by easing restrictions on work permits.
Bill 5159 would remove the requirement that 14- and 15-year-olds have a work permit from a school inspector and a work permit from the employer. It would also remove the requirement for a written description of the jobs the child is expected to perform.
While it may not seem like a substantial deal, it is only the first step.
In March of last year, Arkansas passed a novel law eliminating work permit and age verification for workers under 16.
A Florida-based lobby group, the Foundation for Government Accountability, was behind legislation and similar laws in several other Republican legislatures that restrict protections for children in the workplace.
In May, the governor of Iowa signed a law that relaxed restrictions on child labor, such as Minors over 16 can sell and serve alcohol in restaurants while kitchens remain open, 14- and 15-year-olds can work longer hours and more hours per week, and 16- and 17-year-olds can apply for a waiver to work in restricted areas with hazardous working conditions as part of a work-study program or employer training. Iowa Capital Shipping.
Iowa’s law would also allow 16- and 17-year-olds to work in demolition and hefty industrial jobs and operate certain power-driven machinery. As it turns out, Iowa’s law conflicts with federal regulations on hazardous workplaces.
Earlier this month, the Florida House of Representatives passed approved Restrictions on child labor would be lifted, allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to work more than 30 hours a week. Legal break regulations would also be abolished.
A Teacher told Florida lawmakers about one of her students who falls asleep in class every day because he is too tired after working long hours every night after school. The student apologized and explained that he finds it arduous to put schoolwork ahead of his job because he has to support his family financially. She worries about what would happen if students in the same situation were allowed to work more hours if this happened under current laws – which only allow students to work 30 hours per week.
First, lawmakers loosen restrictions on work permits in the state to make it easier for children to work. Then next year, like in Florida and Iowa, they can loosen restrictions again and allow children to work longer in hazardous conditions — all while promoting it as parental rights.
Instead of raising wages to attract adult workers, companies may fill the vacancies with children who are unaware of their rights and too afraid to ask questions – children who depend on these jobs to lend a hand their struggling families.
According to the Labor Department, between 2028 and 2022, federal authorities opened 4,144 cases of child labor law violations across the country, involving 15,462 children.
If lawmakers are truly concerned about protecting West Virginia’s children, they should start with the thousands who are Care, and address problems with Child protection servicesThere is no need to create problems when substantial problems already exist.
