http://www.nationaljournal.com/domesticpolicy/louisiana-residents-constitutional-right-to-trick-or-treat-is-under-threat-20141031
In Louisiana, many communities have set up recommended or official hours when Trick-or-Treaters can knock on doors. Also, the police have gone as far as setting up signs on the lawns of sex offenders' homes that tell kids not to Trick-or-Treat there. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is combatting these restrictions and have messages to the local sheriffs saying that "No governmental body may prohibit anyone from ringing someone else's doorbell at any time for any legitimate purpose, nor may the government prohibit anyone from giving 'treats' to visitors at any time".
Restricting Trick-or-Treating seems a little weird, but the holiday can be dangerous. Thousands of unsupervised kids are sent running through the streets knocking on stranger's doors for candy. It makes sense that communities would try to set hours for Trick-or-Treating so that kids wouldn't be out late in the dark, but this is not something that the government can enforce. I think that no matter what we do, this holiday will always be dangerous. Parents have the responsibility to protect their children. In the article the ACLU suggested that police simply monitor and patrol dangerous areas (i.e. sex offender residencies) than trying to post signs. What do you guys think? Is it okay for communities to restrict when you can go Trick-or-Treating, and should we be warning kids from going to certain house?
Happy Halloween!
Unit 4
I think that this issue is a lot deeper than just trick-or-treating restrictions. Whenever kids go out late at night, there's the possibility of something dangerous happening. That's why some cities have curfews for minors. If they have curfews during the rest of the year, I don't see why they couldn't impose some on Halloween too...especially since the residents wouldn't be very happy with kids showing up at 2 A.M. anyway. As far as the sex offender part...this is a sensitive issue in any area. I never want a child to be in danger of being abused in any way, so I would very much appreciate being made aware if an offender lived near me. On the other hand, if they are out of jail they have obviously served their time and are considered okay to be on the loose...in which case it would be cruel to ostracize them from a community just because they made some mistakes in the past. I don't know, it's a tricky argument. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteYes, it is important to keep the kids safe, but it really isn't fair to lock the criminals out of a major part of our society for something they have already been punished for. Besides, if we can't post signs in the park strip because that belongs to the city, what right do they have to post signs on the lawn? The kids should be watched, but it would a better idea for the parents to do so than the police. Curfews make sense, though.
ReplyDelete-Liam Brookhart
I think that the best way to handle this would be to monitor the streets more when there is more of a risk. There really is no way to stop kids from being out late.
ReplyDeleteI like what Liam said about us not being able to post signs on park strips so they have no right to post signs on our lawn.
I think that if you are going to send your child out trick or treating you should go with them if you feel like there unsafe. There are multiple other ways that can prevent kids from getting hurt without the government getting involved.
ReplyDelete