Our Generation Should Revolt We’ve failed to examine or challenge America’s most pervasive and destructive prejudice: adultism – the oppression of children. Like white supremacists and male chauvinists, adultist bigots discriminate against a group of people because they see us as stupid, dirty, violent, drug-abusing, suicidal, promiscuous, and inferior. However, as definitive psychological studies prove,…
Imagine building a global “liberation” movement that transforms the typical life experiences of young people throughout the world from one of passivity to one of confidence and capability. Now imagine what a difference such a movement would make to the strength and creativity of the young people engaged. Envision the impact on society. If most…
FOR preventing the teenagers in the United States from being a burden to parents or country; and for making teens beneficial to the public 1997 The Tragedy OH what a dire sight indeed for adults who walk through the halls of America’s high schools. The teenagers one runs into (because teens do not know how…
I am not a trained psychologist, but I am a very observant person, who has been placed in a situation with much to observe. So please take my words to heart for I believe they are more truthful than any explanation to date. Much conflict arises in the common American household between parents and their…
11 Days Ago If someone put a pillow over your face, you’d fight back too Pillows are soft And you’re using one to protect me But what you’ve actually done is erected a tiny, invisible prison, one that I haven’t elected But there is no election, not for me My vote is a useless expression…
In this essay, I’m going to talk a bit about three different philosophies of Youth Liberation, problems that are likely to arise between them, and how each is basically responding to a different (and important) aspect of adultism. I. THREE FLAVORS OF YOUTH LIBERATION There are lots of different ways to approach Youth Liberation. However,…
Want to drive? Stay in school A bipartisan bill moving through the Legislature would deliver what backers say is tough love to keep kids in school by barring young high school dropouts from getting driver’s licenses. “Driving is not a right, it’s a privilege, and it’s perfectly within bounds for the state government to expect…
We’ve now completed the fifteenth run of #16tovote on the 16th! Being middle of April, one thing on everyone’s mind around now are taxes. That includes working teens, who pay income taxes just like everyone else but unlike everyone else are not welcome at their local polling place. So the “taxation without representation” issue with…
The question of whether children have constitutional rights, and if so, which, is a fraught one. But one thing we ought to be able to agree on is that children have something like an absolute right to peaceful political expression. First of all, there is no reason why they shouldn’t. And second, there is no…
A Key to Developing Positive Youth-Adult Relationships Most of us are youth workers because we care about young people. Personally we want to both be effective and have good relationships with young people. We are satisfied when things go well. We feel bad when our relationships sour. Sometimes we scratch our heads in dismay when,…
