As NYRA continues to grow, we feel that it is necessary to publish more documents and guides for youth, particularly students. A recent project that Stefan Muller and I have taken on is developing a “Student Rights Handbook” where we list all of the rights that students have at schools and any limitations on those…
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Dustin Manuel, one of NYRA’s former board directors from the 2000-2001 term. Manuel recently had a story he written many years ago about youth rights published in a collection of stories he wrote. Manuel wrote the story during the fall of his junior year in 2001 while he…
As reported in my last blog entry, I have been actively working to create a position on my local school board for students. I was expecting to speak at the March board meeting, but I was informed a few days before the meeting that it had been postponed until the meeting on Monday, April 3,…
During this semester, I am taking the honors-level version of a state-mandated civics and economics class at my school. The class is quite interesting, and it involves a lot of open dicussion and thought. On Tuesday, the teacher assigned a fun project in which we were to write a mock state referendum concerning a state…
By reading this title, you may be wondering what the hell it has anything to do with youth rights. This is more of a personal story in connection to a general youth rights theme, so just relax and keep on reading to find out more. I must let you know that I have been a…
As I write this post in my first period class at my school during my spare time, I realize that I am fortunate. While my school is mainly pro-student rights, I realize that there are some schools that are ageist and barbaric in their policies. This must change. Students are in school for nearly eight…
Over the course of the past week or so, I have been working extensively on a project that I feel is important to youth rights. It may be considered one of the first stepping stones to gaining increased rights, but it is a step in the right direction – a gradual process. As a lot…
I would like to commend Al Aynsley-Green, the Children’s Commissioner of England, for stating that youth are “capable of voting and want to do so.” He goes on to say: “…16-year-olds should be involved very much in the democratic process.” “They’ve got important things to say and they understand how the adult world works.” This…
When I browse through the many threads on NYRA’s forums, I have run across a few posts that express absolute hatred against NYRA’s opponents, such as the Mothers Against Drunk Driving organization. When I see such posts, I am appalled! Why are certain forum posters promoting such hatred? NYRA and MADD have always been two…
I can think of a wide array of tasks that NYRA members can do in their spare time. Whether you spend 30 minutes a week or well over 30 hours a week, your time would greatly benefit NYRA. Instead of watching a television show or playing your favorite video game on one night of the…
