1980_04 The Daily Collegian April 1980

              Page 6-the Mb CSol)egiM-'apru 14,1980
Ride'em cowboy
Larry Reynold trie, his, uh . . . hand at El Torro, the bucking machine.
AH proceeds from the rides went toward the CSUF rodeo, where students
rode the real thing last weekend. Photo by Greg Trott
*V*r*«  fT
CSUF exhibitors take honors
Exhibitors from CSUF have taken
their share of honors with their steer
project entries at the Greet Western
Livestock Show in Los Angeles.
Karen Webb, a freshman from
Portervilie, showed the champion
Charolais, and Karen Ottesen, a senior
from Woodland Hills, had the reserve
champion British crossbred. Miss
Ottesen also was first in showmanship
in a field of 70 entries. Miss Webb
placed seventh in showmanship.
Lisa Mirande, a junior from Placer-
vifle, had the class winner in exotic '
Children^ rights expanded*
but controlled by authority
by Pete Woodaide
"Up until 10 years ago, children
enjoyed few of the legal' protections
provided to adults.- In 1970, Supreme
Court declared that the Bill of Rights was
not for adults alone and that children
also sre to be considered 'persons*
under the Constitution.
Because children lack mental sophisti¬
cation and political power, however, they
are less able to determine what rights
they have. They are also less able to
challenge those laws which they feel
discriminate against them.
Historically, the young person's
special legal status haa been justified by
protecting him from the possible results
of his own immaturity. To bo sure, child¬
ren have benefitted from legislation
which has kept them from hard labor and
economic exploitation.
But many laws which are supposed to
protect young people have in practice
left them subject to arbitrary and
excessive authority exercised by par¬
ents, custodians and the state.
For example, today juvenile courts in
virtually every state have the power to
exercise authority over children who do
- not commit crimes but sre 'incorrigible,
ungovernable,' or "beyond control" of
their parent, according to an American
Civil Liberties handbook entitled 'the
Rights of Young People.*
These children sre often called
'status' offenders, says the ACLU,
because they harm no one but them¬
selves snd sre punished for merely'
'befog* something. Most status offen¬
ses of children are not illegal if commit¬
ted by adults.
A spokesman for Legal Services for
Children in San Francisco said that
status offenders are most often run¬
aways. Paul Lewis, s staff attorney for
the legal organization, said that run¬
aways at one time were regularly locked
up with hardened criminals.
In 1976, however, he said a law was
passed that required runaways to be
held in cells seperate from other crim¬
inals. This law to frequently violated,
though, Lewis said.
The court justifies the status offenses
because they believe they identify pre¬
delinquent children and prevent them
from committing criminal acts in the
future.
While a*""*™.; the status offender
laws did deny young people equal
protection under the law, Lewis said
their intent waa to ensure some moral
upbringing for young people.
According to the ACLU, many lawyers
believe that laws which make status
offenders subject to the authority of
juvenile courts sre unconstitutional.
The lawyers feel the laws are overly
broad and vague, deny young people
" equal protection of the laws since adults
heavyweights and placed fifth in show¬
manship, while Jim Mattes, s junior
from Lathrop, had the exotic light¬
weight winner snd was eighth in show¬
manship.
Laura Hardy, a senior form Yosenute,
showed the second place entry in the
British crossbred lightweights, snd the
college group of three steers form
CSUF placed second among eight
entries.
Wendy Gauld, beef unit super*
visor, .was the students' advisor for
their steer project. ' .
are not subject to their restrictions snd
punish children for a status rather than.   ,,
specific acts.; ' «,aorl ■•-
Nevertheless, almost every challenge '
to the constitutionality of a child status
offender statute has been denied.
Problems with children's rights in
child custody cases sre also common. In
divorces, children sre often caught
between two feuding parents snd have
Utile say as to whom they will live with. .
Usually, parents are responsible for
deciding custody of their children. How-   -
ever, if they sre unable to decide, the
judge then appoints custody of the child
to one of the parents.
While judges   are  bound  in  child
custody cases to decide in the   "best.
interests" of the child, judges often do
not consider the wishes of the child,
according to (he ACLU.
In the area of adoption, only five states
allow adopted children to discover the
identity of their natural parents. In all
other states, original birth certificates
are scaled after an order of adoption.
They then cannot be unsealed without an
order from the court based upon 'good
cause.'
Now that searching of school lockers in
High School drug busts to becoming
more frequent, it to interesting to note
the restrictions placed on the searches.
Ironically, unreasonable searches of
student lockers by police officers acting
alone may be illegal, but searches by
school principals may not be illegal and
evidence found can be used in court.       .,;.-
While children are subject to the
authority of their parents, in 13 states
children do have the right to sue their,
parents.. *S
Other states sre restricted by s rule
known as the "intra-family tort liniimiiliy i
rule,* which claims that suits between
family members would destroy family
unity.
Lawsuits by children against their
parents usually concern automobile
accidents where the driver's negligence
results in an injury to his child who is a
passenger.
In such esses, the parties to the suit
sre not the child and the parent, but
rather the injured child and an insurance
company'.
Despite the disadvantages children
face, they do enjoy the right to be
supported by their parents. Parents
must provide their kids with food,
clothing, shelter, 'medical care and
educational opportunities. Usually edu¬
cational opportunities do not include
college, however.
Because of this support, however,
parents are entitled to the services and
income of their children. There* are
exemptions to this but they usually must
be agreed on by the children and the
parents. ' u^aBswii
I s^Toeooqe gntec
' i.' to eahse A .no'.
Meet the CSUF VP candidate!^
Three candidates for the.position of
CSUF vice-president of academic affairs
will be on campus this week to meet
with various campus constituencies,
including students.
Dr. John Darling wfll be available
today from 3:30 to 4:30 in CU 308.
Da. Thomas Alden Bond will meet
with' campus cctuvatoeTirjes fi^n, fcjjo-
rrwob tbsJ o! c
•ibs V> abcl ol out
4:30 Wednesday. Ths location of ths
meeting   hadn't   yet    been    announ-       .
°ad. , RflaHtiV-'
Friday,   Dr.   Tomas   A.   Arciniega noa
wfll meet with campus conaitnenciei^i,.,
foWSOBlTomSiSf^pjfo,. IX7~?w,
last week Dra. David E. ClaA, Janta*^"
■„ ,W. lv»beru«»va^parid .l^syeroa,;,,,.