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4 Entering adulthood Rights and responsibilities a) Discuss the rights and responsibilities children and young people have or should have. b) Which ones should be laid down in the law? Your turn: Juvenile law in your country a) Get information about rights and responsibilities of teenagers according to the law in your country/region. b) Pick one aspect you find most fair/sensible or unfair/senseless and present it in class. c) Give reasons for your decision and make suggestions for improvements. Reading: Rite of passage a) Read the text about a suggested rite of passage. Complete the sentences (1–6) using a maximum of four words. Write your answers in the spaces provided. The first one (0) has been done for you. Coming of age Word bank Rights and responsibilities age limit • to apply for loans • approval • to be aware of • to comply with the law • to consume alcohol • custody • disciplinary proceedings • employment • to be entitled to • exception • parental guidance • hazardous occupation • learning environment • liability and insurance requirements • parental consent • penalty • to play truant • privacy • to purchase tobacco products • to be responsible for • school attendance • sexual contact • to sign contracts • to violate rules W Fact file Rite of passage • • At the time this article was written, the Labour Party was in power and the Conservatives, led by David Cameron, were the Opposition. • • In October 2007 the age for buying (and smoking) cigarettes was raised to 18. F 1  2  3  Teenagers would pass through a formal “rite of passage”, marking the transition from childhood to adulthood, under plans being considered by the Conservatives. The coming-of-age ceremony would be combined with increasing the age at which people can legally drive, marry and buy cigarettes to 18 years, to develop a more characteristic passage into adulthood. Those who complete a course showing that they can be responsible would be able to enjoy the rights to adulthood at an earlier age. David Cameron outlined the plans as he launched pilot courses run by the Young Adult Trust to help teenagers to learn about becoming adults. The scheme, part of the Conservatives’ philosophy of encouraging responsibilities rather than just rights, is based on National Service and aimed at dealing with youth indifference. He said that many societies had rites of passage marking the transition from childhood, but “in our society, the closest thing to a rite of passage is going out and getting hammered on your 18 th birthday”. He gave his blessing to a “formal and ceremonial” passage to adulthood, which could be similar to the new citizenship ceremonies for immigrants. “Why not see if we can develop a common reference point, a nationally recognised ‘transition to adulthood’? It could become a recognised stamp of adulthood in Britain,” he said. In 2005 the Government considered citizenship ceremonies for all 18-year-olds in which they would take an oath of allegiance to the Queen, but the idea was abandoned. Mr Cameron’s aides suggested that the scheme would be voluntary, but young people would be encouraged to do it because they would win the rights of adults earlier, such as being allowed to have a drink in a pub at 17. Research by the trust shows widespread support among teenagers for raising some legal age limits, such as for getting married and buying cigarettes, which are both currently 16. Mr Cameron attacked the Government for only wanting to punish bad behaviour by teenagers, rather than encourage good behaviour. He said, “There are some things, like the right to vote, or the age of criminal responsibility, which have to be fixed by age. But in most things, it’s not about age, it’s about responsibility. That’s the reason we need to change the way we hand out rights and duties. Because we need to do far more to promote responsibility.” (Anthony Browne, The Times , 31 October 2006 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 58 Adolescence Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv