CHILDREN AND THE LAW SEMINAR (INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS - 1090)
2 credits
This seminar examines the legal status, rights, and obligations and the allocation of power among the child, the family, and the state in contemporary society. Topics covered include the right to education, parental choice and public school curriculum, the speech rights of minors, reproductive decision-making, medical care, the unique concerns of infancy and adolescence, child abuse and neglect, and the termination of parental rights. The approach used weaves case law together with legal and cross- disciplinary readings that underscore the connections among doctrine, policy, and data. While the focus is on the United States, supplementary materials including the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child encourage students to place the issues in national and global perspective. The final grade is based on class participation, problem-based assignments, and preparation and presentation of a final research paper of substantial scholarly merit, minimum 30 pages in length including notes.