Teenage Curfews
McKenna Beach
Many
people argue that curfews are necessary for teenagers under 18 because it will
help keep young people out of trouble. Many say that teens are out there
causing trouble, drinking, smoking and doing things they know better than to
do, and where I could somewhat agree with that, it is not the reality. The
majority of today’s teens will not be out looking for trouble, they will just
be out looking to live their lives and have fun. Should all teenagers have the
same curfew? The answer to that question is no, one teenager shouldn’t be an
example for all teenagers.
Though many teenagers these days
feel the need to be “bad kids” and act out to get attention, the majority of
today’s teenagers are just looking to hang out with their friends and to make
memories. “If there were more legitimate nighttime activities for teens that
would deter some of the illegitimate activities from happening.” (Reed). I
agree with Reed one hundred percent, instead of setting curfews to keep kids
out of trouble I think people should realize that kids actually need to go out
more and do more with the right people and at the right places to keep them out
of trouble. As a pastor’s kid, and a kid that has served God my whole life, I
strongly believe that all teenagers can turn their lives around and maybe a
little freedom and trust that teens can make the right choices is just the way
to go about it.
Some critics argue that a curfew is
unconstitutional in that it gives the government right to interfere with the
family’s privacy and chosen practices for parenting. For the most part, curfew
restricts everyone under 18 whether or not they are rebellious or delinquent.
This means that even the good kids are “punished” for offenses they didn’t
commit. According to an article by The Green Garage, teenagers will always behave
like teenagers. After all, they are merely kids. However, not all kids are the
same, and a one-size-fits-all parenting tool such as a curfew may not really
work on every teenager out there. So with this being said, I must stress that
every teenager is different and a curfew that is set for a teenager that goes
out and parties every weekend should not be the same as a child that does
things like attend church events on a weekend. I believe that rules shouldn’t
be set until they need to be set. I believe that a 17 year old who has never
drank or smoked or lied to his/her parents about where they were at or where
they were going do not deserve a curfew period until the point comes where they
need one because they have broken their parents trust.
Has anyone thought about the danger
a curfew could put a teenager in? Say a 16 year old has a curfew of 10pm, but
instead of watching the time he/she is too busy having fun with their friends
to realize that they have to be home in 10 minutes but they live 15-20 minutes
away. “5,864 teen drivers ages 15-20 were involved in fatal car accident. Young
drivers between 15- and 20-years-old accounted for 6.4% (13.2 million) of total
drivers on the road. An average of nine teens ages 16-19 were killed every day
from motor vehicle injuries.” (Teen Driver Car Accident Statistics). What if
that child was speeding to try and get home to meet their curfew and then out
of nowhere they get hit or they hit someone else? If teenagers were just
allowed to have fun and not worry about a curfew, I feel like it could
potentially eliminate this problem.
In conclusion I feel like all teens
should not be held to the same standards, and a law forced curfew should not
take place. All teenagers are different and I believe they should be treated
with different amounts of trust and respect. Though a set curfew I’m sure has
many pros as well, I do believe that the cons outweigh them. Teenagers need
safe and fun things to do, not a curfew.
http://mckennabeach.edu.glogster.com/teenage-curfews/
This is honestly one of the truest things I have ever read. I know you and I have spoken about this topic many times, but this is all very valid reasoning. I completely agree one hundred percent. Good job, Ken!
ReplyDelete^ Allysa
DeleteMcKenna, wow...as I was reading the first few sentences, I immediately formed my opinion, which I figured was going to differ from yours. However, your claims and evidence were so relevant, strong, and clear, I changed my mind. The more I read, the more I agreed with you! :) Awesome job of presenting a solid, rational argument!
ReplyDeleteMost everyone has been negatively affected by a blanket policy or punishment that we had nothing to do with. It's not fair, but, unfortunately, these things continue to happen. When I was growing up, there were no such laws on curfews. Our parents set them, and if we didn't abide, then we got in trouble. Some kids didn't have curfews at all and maybe caused trouble in town or out in the country. I'm sure the local police knew who those kids were. Your argument is sound and logical. I agree that parents should set boundaries such as curfews, not the state or local law enforcement.
ReplyDelete-Ms. Long
McKenna,I really enjoyed reading this and completely agree with you.
ReplyDelete-Kristin
McKenna, I loved this! I can't completely relate to this because my mom views it about the same way you do, so I haven't had to try and debate this much. I believe this curfew situation could relate to a lot of kids especially the "good" kids in high school. Keep up the good work!:) -Ashlynn
ReplyDeleteAmazingly enough, I agree with some of what you said. I do not believe that a government entity should establish a curfew. Typically, this is simply to make it easier on those enforcing the law, so that it is a blanket rule as opposed to finding out why that child is out. I do, in fact, think that curfews for teenagers are a good thing, as little good actually happens after midnight. Drivers left on the road at that point are typically sleepy, under some influence, or in the mind that they can drive as fast as they want because no one is on the road. I would prefer my children be home safe by that point. As for your argument about rushing home, I think your points illustrate a potential lack of responsibility that goes to the heart of why parents have curfews. Also, my daughters will hate you, because your statistical analysis has convinced me not to let them drive until they are 21! So in conclusion, I both agree and disagree with you.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your opinions on this situation. My parents are very strict about following laws. So that means I can never be out past the time the government has set. This is very irritating to me. When I am out I am usually just at a friends watching movies. I am never out doing drugs or partying. I definitely do not think all teenagers should be bound by rules set because of troubled teens. It is unfair. However, I do think teens should have a curfew set by their parents. Many wrecks happen because people are tired and doze off while they are driving. Therefore, it would not be a good idea for teens to stay out all night. I do agree with you though. Teenagers should be held accountable for the curfew their parents set, not the curfew that the government sets. Most parents will hold their kids accountable.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you completely. I think that if a teenager is responsible and trustworthy, they should have more freedom. My parents trust me and I know what time I need to be home, so they rely on me to be where I say I'm going to be and do what I tell them I'm doing. I do not think the government should be able to set a curfew because not all teenagers are "bad kids", so we should not be treated as if we are. When I go out, I am with my friends that my parents trust and we check in every once in a while with them to let them know we're okay. I can see where the government thinks that not all kids are as responsible and may get into trouble, but why does it make sense to punish the ones who are doing nothing wrong? With that being said, I totally agree and really thought you had some very solid and convincing views on the subject.
ReplyDelete-mattie
I agree completely. Not every teenager is a "bad kid", so why are we all treated as if we were? A curfew helps eliminate the trouble that happens, but the trouble will never be completely gone. If a teenager is responsible enough to be trusted out later, then they should be responsible enough to be home on time. I think a curfew should be set by the parents, but some parents don't care as much as others, and that is the issue . Everyone cannot be please and the government is just looking out for the best interest the public. The curfew is not meant to punish the good kids, but to try to keep the rebellious kids in line.
ReplyDelete-Samantha