You might think: Well, that’s Texas for you; they’re old-school down there. But it’s the same story in many parts of the country. The Justice Department says roughly half of all public schools have police officers patrolling the halls. According to an ACLU study, law enforcement is replacing traditional school discipline in Massachusetts’ three largest school districts – Boston, Springfield, and Worcester – where more arrests are being made for “misbehavior previously handled informally.”
State officials don’t have to agree with the Supreme Court’s view of adolescence. But they ought to be able to agree with themselves. Yet in many cases, they do not. Take Texas. Not only does Texas slap kids with criminal charges for classroom antics, it also allows children as young as 14 to be charged as adults for certain felonies. On the other hand, Texas sets the age of consent for sexual activity at 17. This means that, in the Lone Star state’s eyes, a 16-year-old is a fully culpable adult if he robs a gas station – but a defenseless child if he loses his virginity.
What’s more, Texas also requires both parental notification and consent before a minor can have an abortion. So in the state’s eyes, some 14-year-0lds who commit crimes have the maturity and judgment of fully grown adults, but no 17-year-old has the maturity and judgment to make a medical decision for herself. Those two positions cannot be reconciled.
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