Issue Position: Rights of Minors

Issue Position

Minors are legally treated as the property of their parents or guardians. California minors are legally imprisoned in the school system from ages to 6 to 18, with no legal option to even choose homeschooling instead. Minors ages 14 to 18 are not allowed to work normally without a school-issued work permit, which can be withdrawn by school officials at any time. Minors are not allowed to participate fully in civil society, yet they are expected to take upon themselves adult responsibilities. New high school graduates have to accept the working opportunities that older generations have given them, yet they were not allowed to participate in the election process as voters. The federal government should create a process by which minors are allowed to sign declarations of maturity, to allow mature and responsible minors under age 18 to join the majority, and enjoy the rights and legal privileges of full citizens.

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