Stop the Presses: The Newsies Strike out against Child Labor!
Medea E. Lamberti-Sanchez
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Since most of the unit focused on the story of the newsboy strike and child labor, the teacher might want to discuss the National Child Labor Association in relationship to today's children in parts of the world where child labor still exists. For example, a great article on children in the Philippines entitled,
Child Labor in the Philippines and the right to play,
by Thesa Samba, is an informational article that talks about what types of jobs children have to have, what ages they go to work for their families, and discusses the results of children working on their education. This article can leave the students with a desire to continue researching the laws, or continuing their discussion on the topic since it is still happening today. It is a current issue that still exists. Students can connect yesterday's issues to today. It was the intent of the unit that the students also felt a connection to the person with whom they role-played, as well as, have more knowledge about them than they did before. Hopefully, students will feel inclined to make more useful connections to the material, or perhaps they would like to express how they feel with a letter to the National Child Labor Organization defending the rights of a child and send it to the headquarters for reorganization. Ultimately, a letter coming from a child about their rights may be one way to gain attention and change the world for many young children so that their rights will not be taken away. In the words of the Newsies, open the gates and seize the day.
Seize the Day
Open the gates and seize the day Don't be afraid and don't delay Nothing can break us No one can make us give our rights away Arise and seize the day
--The Newsies, 1992