Amish ask work permission for 14- to 17-year-olds
Submitted on October 8, 2003 - 12:00am.
Ruxandra Giura - Fall 2003
WASHINGTON – Members of the Amish community asked a House subcommittee Wednesday to permit Amish teenagers to work in wood processing shops.
“The Amish have a very unique situation,” said Rep. Joseph R. Pitts, R-Pa., the bill's sponsor. “They complete their formal schooling at the end of the eighth grade and are prohibited by their religious beliefs from attending school beyond this point. As such, they do not have the benefit of or access to 'shop' class or vo-tech programs that our youth have.”
Christ Blank, chairman of the Old Order Amish Steering Committee, explained that, upon leaving school, Amish youths are considered ready to be trained under parental or church supervision in a “learning by doing” informal vocational program that allows them to enter into the adult work place.
“The Amish have a very unique situation,” said Rep. Joseph R. Pitts, R-Pa., the bill's sponsor. “They complete their formal schooling at the end of the eighth grade and are prohibited by their religious beliefs from attending school beyond this point. As such, they do not have the benefit of or access to 'shop' class or vo-tech programs that our youth have.”
Christ Blank, chairman of the Old Order Amish Steering Committee, explained that, upon leaving school, Amish youths are considered ready to be trained under parental or church supervision in a “learning by doing” informal vocational program that allows them to enter into the adult work place.
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