The Takeaway has been talking about child labor in America this week, from paper routes to custodial work. Now, a look at the farm. Should children be restricted from doing certain kinds of agricultural work? The Department of Labor thinks so. In a new proposal, they are hoping to bar most farm hands younger than 16 years old from jobs such as driving tractors, rounding up cattle on horseback, and working on ladders over six feet high. Is the proposal in the best interest of the children, or going too far?
Later this morning, The Takeaway will speak with sociologist Amy Schalet about her new book, "Not Under My Roof: Parents, Teens, and the Culture of Sex." Schalet compares American and Dutch families, and their attitudes about teenage sex. Beth Brotz, a parent in California, was thrilled to learn about Schalet's work. She talks about how she and her husband handled her teenage daughter's confession that she was sexually active with her boyfriend, and how their openness made them closer as a family.
Yesterday, we talked about high schools in eight states that are considering an initiative to let students place out of their senior year in high school and enter community college. It sparked a heated debate among listeners on the merits of the program, so we revisit the issue with a psychology professor and an expert in early graduation.
There are plenty of teen and tween movies in theaters these days – from this weekend's Michael Cera vehicle Youth in Revolt [see the trailer above] to the hugely popular Twilight series. But many of them leave our movie critic Rafer Guzman scratching his head and wondering: where are the real teens and tweens in teen movies? Has the honest teen film character as we once knew it (RIP John Hughes) died? And do any of the uncomplicated and self-possessed teen characters in movies today resemble real teenagers? Guzman and Nicole Corriveau, a 16-year-old movie buff from Long Island, share their opinions.