And Justice For All; The Legal Rights of Young People

Examines various legal issues, including free speech, privacy, child labor, and discrimination, as they apply to minors.

Grade 7 Up?A well-written and thoroughly researched account of the constitutional rights of young people in America. Issues such as free speech; privacy; adoption and custody rights; curfew laws; age, sex, and handicap discrimination; child labor; abuse; and crime and punishment are fully covered. Each chapter begins with specific case studies or events that caused the high courts to study and, in some cases, change laws regarding the legal rights of minors in our society. The discussion ranges from historical issues such as child labor to more recent issues relating to AIDS discrimination. Included are common concerns facing school officials: dress code, yearbook and newspaper censorship, students' right to assemble, locker and automobile searches, school prayer, and book censorship. The authors explain each case and resulting law in language that young adults can clearly understand. Black-and-white photographs of trail blazers for children's rights, such as Ryan White and Gregory Kingsley, are included along with their case studies. The final chapter takes a "Glimpse into the Future." The Bill of Rights and later amendments to the Constitution affecting children are appended. There are several books available that deal with specific court cases regarding students' rights such as Leah Farish's Tinker v. Des Moines (Enslow, 1997); however, And Justice for All is more comprehensive in scope, making it a perfect resource for social studies and government classes. It is one of those rare nonfiction jewels that readers may use for reference, but will want to read cover-to-cover.?Pat Scales, Greenville Middle School, SC
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 6^-12. The ACLU Handbooks for Young Americans series titles are excellent, exhaustive reference books. This is a broader consideration of young people's rights, but it is very nicely put together, providing not only some historical background but also insight into the controversy surrounding various laws and the ways they are changing and being challenged in response to shifts in society. Specific examples, including some recent events--for instance, Shannon Faulkner's 1996 experience as a cadet at the Citadel--are well and frequently used to illustrate the discussion of rights as they relate to various aspects of school, work, home life, and criminal behavior. Although there's a lot to take in, the authors cover their topics in a way that will grab interested readers as well as benefit student researchers. Black-and-white photos, notes, a bibliography, and a copy of the Bill of Rights are appended. Stephanie Zvirin