What are the parents rights versus the schools rights?

I share your concern about the implications of this peculiar enactment, although, in my opinion, the problem is not about *your* rights: it is about your child's rights. Apparently, the school board did not have the benefit of an advice of a competent jurist and did not realize that their decision runs afoul of the XIII Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which forbids involuntary servitude, except as a court-imposed punishment for a crime. The school board is not likely to just say "Oh, sorry!" and cancel the offending decision: that would require presence of a working collective intelligence - a very rare bird, indeed! Like many of our public institutions, school boards are favored by pompous demagogues seeking both, venue and validation, of their ego trips. They will dismiss your concerns. If you persist, they will fight - and do everything they can to make you regret irking them. So, may I offer a couple of bits of advice? Decide now whether you want this fight. Backing down later, when the going will get tough, will cost you a lot of self-respect (and more of respect of your children) Find an attorney willing to step in if it becomes necessary. Local chapter of ACLU might be a good place to start your search. If they are not overwhelmed at the moment, they might even adopt your cause. Otherwise, ask them for a referral. Never threaten - just do. If you are ready to go to media, call the congressman's office, or file a law suit, don't tell the opposition, let them find out when you have done it. First of all, giving your opponents an advance notice of your actions reduces the effectiveness of your actions. Second, as arguments in a dispute, these threats *never* work. You see, your opponent might back down under such a threat only if he/she recognizes that he/she is wrong and needs to avoid judgment (of the public opinion, or of the major league public establishment, or of the court of law). This is why such threats are always perceived as insults: they imply that the threatened person does not honestly believe that her/his position is the right one and *knowingly* persists in upholding what is wrong. Third, what you plan might not work: media outlet might take the board's side, the congressman might refuse to interfere (or promise to help and never do it), the court might decline the case, etc. So, never threaten - just do. And, if you started a fight, don't pull punches.

You need to speak to an attorney in your State who specializes in education law. My guess is that the requirement is illegal as it is after hours and not really related to the purposes of an educational system. Also, if the child is injured doing the work or hurts someone else or damages some one's property, the school district would be liable to pay. How can the school district hire a minor to do any work? seems like a violation of the child labor laws. Without even trying to find out whether it is legal, I would go to the school district and point out that while the purpose of the plan may be noble, although requiring 2 hours in middle school means it will have no positive effect on the vast majority of students, it puts the school district in a horrible position of liability and will cost a large amount for monitoring students and keeping records. What if the parents are very religious or political; does the school district want to deal with the fall out of an eighth grader taking part in an anti-abortion or left/right wing political rally?

You need to address your issues to the school board.

Slavery was prohibited in the United States by the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, in December 1865. The school's requirement sound unconstitutional to meat least as you describe it. If it did have some connected to the curriculum, given that courts are very deferential to school administrators, it might pass muster. But to make it a requirement for graduation strikes me as going too far. My suggestion: get a group of your neighbours who are also parents of the kids in the school to register your concern at the next school board meeting. If that doesn't work, your group might hire a lawyer to start a class action (or at least have a group of plaintiffs) against the school board.

You do need help. You should be ashamed of yourself. Nagging the school board over nothing. Two hours of public service is a good teaching lesson. Save your parental rights for sex education and teach your children the value of abstinence or birth control.

Without reading the law enabling the school board and reading the annotated cases, I cannot answer your questions. However, I believe a lawyer that practices Civil Rights law should be able to help. Consider consulting one. Good luck.