Year 10 Legal Studies

In Year 10 Legal Studies this term, students are drawing upon their foundation learnings in basic law built up in term 1 and term 2 and use in depth research and first hand experiences to present a newsletter article themed around young people and the law.

The context being, ‘Young people,’ a term that includes children, means people who are under 25. ‘Children’ are defined in Australian law as young people who have not turned 18.

I have asked my students to think about the use of age limits as legal milestones marking the limits of society’s tolerance for the mistakes young people make because they have not finished their biological, social and emotional development. Australia has special policies for young people, recognising that maturity does not arrive gift-wrapped on a particular birthday. Young peoples' confidence and capacities are constantly changing. The law recognises this. In 2020, young people have very different world-views and vulnerabilities.

Students are required to identify a law that they feel affects them adversely. In turn, they are to write about how this might be changed to reflect a modern world perspective.

The following is a piece by Paige Betteley on changing the rules around eating in class.

- Daryl Nayler (Legal Studies Teacher)

Legal Issue: Changing the Rule by Paige Betteley

In my view, that not being allowed to eat in class is not fair at all. It’s so unfair to the people that have no time to eat and today I’m here to argue and fight for the rule of not being allowed to eat in class. That is gonna change today.

Why did I choose this rule?

There is barely no time, like come on, 15 MINUTES!! To be able to eat and go to your locker and go to the toilet, that is not enough time to sit down and eat.

It honestly is one of the biggest changes from primary school to secondary school. Like you’re allowed to eat in the classroom at primary school and if you’re not allowed to eat in the classroom at secondary school then why are primary school students allowed to when they are more messy then us older kids.

What rule do I want to change it to?

I wanna change it to where you should be able to eat in the classroom whenever you want. It doesn’t even need to be while the teacher is talking, we can eat silently while we are doing our work. This can cause stress, anxiety, depression if you’re not eating.

What did I like better about the new rule and why?

The new rule because the old rule was not fair at all. The people that don’t get time to eat either have to wait for lunch or even after school. You can rot away in that HAHAHA, JOKES. You can get sick, your body will go into Survivor mode, your body will stop producing energy and your brain will stop thinking and you won’t concentrate. It will be harder to learn and to know what the teacher’s asking you to do.

What was wrong and what didn’t I like about the old rule?

The old rule wasn’t fair on anyone. It made people lose concentration and lose their learning. You only had 15 minutes to go to the toilet and eat and get your books, that’s not enough time. People don’t know how to open the locker or are still having trouble.

Do you think others will support or disagree with your choice?

Well most people should because they always sneak food into the classroom and then they get in trouble and when you’re in detention you’re not allowed to eat.

Do you think you have made a good choice?

Yes, because it would be so much easier to eat and digest. This is why I have wanted to change the rule. The canteen line is normally so long and how do you have enough time to go in there and go eat and go to your locker without being late? It’s not healthy not sitting down to eat. Teachers and parents may not agree with this, but I think it’s fair on everyone that the rules change and it should be looked into.

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