> Voluntary? For someone in middle school? For the vast majority of these kids, I guarantee you it wasn't their idea. Middle school? So under 8th grade or 13

> Voluntary? For someone in middle school? For the vast majority of these kids, I guarantee you it wasn't their idea. Middle school? So under 8th grade or 13 years of age? That employment is already illegal. We're talking about about 15-18 year olds (high school). Can you share the data you have that "the vast majority of minors employed, aren't employed voluntarily"? That's a bold claim. According to the BOL, 1 out of 5 minor between 16-18 were employed outside of school hours. Are you suggesting a large portion of those are working involuntarily? > In seven states, you must be 18 to get married. You're changing the subject. We're talking about minors working. > As a nation, more and more kids are ending up in jobs that violate the law for their hazardous nature, like meat packing and roofing. As you admit, and the article states - those minors are illegally employed. Thus the law already bans it. > In Arkansas, a bill signed by Governor Sanders removes the requirements for kids under 16 to prove their age and provide parental consent to get jobs. All that law does is eliminate a permitting system. California doesn't require such permits if the child isn't in school. Vermont or Colorado doesn't require them if they work outside school hours. It doesn't sounds like Arkansas is really standing out as doing something out of the ordinary. > The Governor of Iowa recently signed into law a bill that loosens protections for kids in employment Maybe you missed my analysis above. I looked up the law and read it. Did you? None of it seems all that weird. It provides protection against hazardous jobs, it limits hours, preventing it from interfering with school. > When did we decide as a nation to have kids do whatever they want regardless of the risks posed to them? Are you suggesting that these laws "allow kids to do whatever they want"?