Teenage Bill of Rights

Sociology 338
Due: Thursday, February 18, 2021

On January 7, 1945, The New York Times printed “The Teenage Bill of Rights: a Ten-Point
Charter to Meet the Problems of Growing Youth.” Many things have about being a teenager have
changed since 1945. Many things have not.

ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW

For this assignment, you will draw from the 1945 Teenage Bill of Rights (written as an essay for
the New York Times) posted on Moodle and discussed in the film Teenage. Your job will be to
update this Teenage Bill of Rights for 2021. Write each of your rights with a description
following, just like in the original New York Times essay. You may use aspects of the original
essay, but the words and ideas need to be your own. Think deeply about the social problems
facing teenagers today and what key rights would want to emphasize to adult America in 2021.
Your essay should be approximately 1,000 words and written in essay format, with 12-point
Times New Roman font and 1-inch margins. Your Bill of Rights will be due by Thursday,
February 18 at 11:55pm. No late submissions are accepted, so please plan accordingly. This
assignment is worth 100 points, or 10% of your overall grade.

TEENAGE BILL OF RIGHTS (1945)

I The right to let childhood be forgotten

II The right to a “say” about his own life
III The right to make mistakes, to find out for himself
IV The right to have rules explained, not imposed
V The right to have fun and companions
VI The right to question ideas
VII The right to be at the romantic age
VIII The right to a fair chance and opportunity
IX The right to professional help whenever necessary
X The right to struggle toward one’s own philosophy of life