How to Protect the Civil Rights of Children
Children possess special civil rights. Child welfare and education constitute the main civil rights areas for children in the United States. Children are entitled to grow up in a healthy, safe and loving environment. Nevertheless, over half a million children are victims of abuse and neglect each year. Few children can fight for their civil rights, so adults need to protect the civil rights of children with these steps.
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Instructions
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Know the signs of child abuse. An unexplained injury is just one possibility. Other signs may be signs of physical, sexual and emotional abuse. Look for sudden changes in eating or sleeping habits, hostility, depression, poor hygiene or inappropriate sexual behavior. Relationships or the lack of relationships bear watching, particularly the fear of a specific adult.
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Recognize that child neglect is also a form of abuse. Children are entitled to receive food, clothing and care.
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Report any evidence of abuse or neglect to your local child protective services office or the police. Calls can be anonymous. Professionals who work with children are mandated by law to report suspicions of abuse.
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Notify authorities if any child is segregated or denied educational opportunities based on race, color, national origin, sex or disability. Schools cannot discriminate against students who are pregnant or who are parents. Report violations of these civil rights to the Office of Civil Rights in the Department of Education.
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Complain to other agencies if the previous step is unsuccessful. Tax-exempt facilities guilty of violating children's civil rights can be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). If the Department of Veterans Affairs pays benefits to anyone affiliated with an institution, even private ones, you can report discrimination against anyone, even non-Veterans, to Veterans Affairs.
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Distinguish accessibility to education from receiving an equal education. Both fall under the civil rights of children. But equality in education falls under the educational reforms of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act that focuses on eliminating achievement gaps between students. Report these educational rights violations to your local NCLB coordinator.
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Contact the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights if you know of an educational facility receiving federal funds that refuses to allow Boy Scout groups to meet. Under the law, any school that allows other youth or community groups to meet at school must allow Scout groups to meet as well.
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Tips & Warnings
The Childhelp® National Child Abuse Hotline is a 24/7 crisis intervention service that provides information and referral services. They can be reached at 1 (800) 4-A-CHILD (422-4453).
Children with disabilities also possess rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
People filing complaints with the Office of Civil Rights do not have to be relatives of the victims.
Many children who don't fall under civil rights violation guidelines are at risk from poverty in the home that affects safety and ability to learn. Low-income families can benefit from referrals to the Head Start program, which provides health, nutrition and educational services to pre-school children.
Some criticize the NCLB Act for its dependence on testing scores to measure the elimination of achievement gaps. Excessive classroom time spent on drilling for exams maybe adversely affect learning. ELL (English Language Learner) students are particularly at risk.
