This is quite insane [Lenore Skenazy]:
The New Albany, OH, chief of police is advising parents not to let their kids go outside on their own until they are 16.
According to this piece on News10:
New Albany’s police chief wants parents to understand that kids younger than 16 simply cannot defend themselves against an attacker.
Chief Greg Jones says 16 is the appropriate age to allow children to be outside by themselves. “I think that’s the threshold where you see children getting a little bit more freedom,” he says.
Not a lot of freedom, mind you. Just a “little bit.”
As readers have pointed out on social media, the timing of the chief’s recommendation suggests that teens will be able to make the transition directly to driver’s license status without having to do something truly scary in the mean time like walking down the block by themselves.
New Albany is a growing suburb of Columbus, the capital of Ohio, with a low crime rate. Its Wikipedia page is here.
2 Comments
Chief Jones certainly gets my vote for a Lifetime Achievement Award for his excellent proof of the existence of the Dunning-Kruger Effect.
In the mid 80s in MD (assuming the 32 yrs have not dulled my memory) the earliest you could work was 15 1/2 with a work permit.
How can someone work if not allowed out of the house?
Also, it was a job at minimum wage – $3.35 per hour.
Not making the min now