The National Youth Rights Association (NYRA), in cooperation with Dr. Mike Males at UC Santa Cruz, has released a new study concerning teenaged drivers that disputes the notion that teens are reckless killers behind the wheel. The study shows that the largest risk factor for driving is poverty, not age. They hope that the study…
Adam King, one of the leaders of NYRA’s Chapter Formation Division, has undertaken a project in Asheville, NC. King is working to introduce a position on the school board that would give a non-voting seat to a student representative chosen by the county’s students. He has worked extensively to hopefully make this project a success….
NYRA’s annual meeting will be held in Berkeley, California on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2006. NYRA’s annual election will start on July 5, 2006, and it will end on the day of the annual meeting. If anyone who is interested in attending the annual meeting needs a place to sleep at night, they should contact Pamela…
A great deal has been written about youth rights theory, and about educational theory that is pertinent to youth rights. Authors such as John Holt, Richard Farson, and
This past spring, New York City Councilmember Gale Brewer introduced a bill to lower the voting age to sixteen for municipal elections. About a dozen NYRA members were present when the bill was introduced, and a few spoke at Brewer’s press conference. At a recent meeting, NYRA’s New York City chapter agreed that the voting…
NYRA-Berkeley recently participated in a successful debate on whether 17-year-olds should be permitted to vote in Berkeley School Board elections. The debate, which took place on the campus of Berkeley High School, was sponsored by the Berkeley Youth Commission and attended by four classes of students. Councilman Max Anderson spoke in favor of the youth…
Chris Lydon, a NYRA member from New Jersey, applied for a grant through his employer, Time Warner. Lydon has done work for NYRA in the past by volunteering at Warped Tour events in New Jersey, and attending meetings in New York. Time Warner gave NYRA a grant in the amount of 1000 dollars, the single…
This fall the Paterson, New Jersey City Council asked residents to vote on whether they would support a youth curfew ordinance. The Council did not present any details or any kind of plan, and the only relevant court case in New Jersey resulted in a ruling against curfews. Unfortunately, Paterson voters overwhelmingly supported the proposed…
The Innocenti Research Centre at UNICEF recently put out a lengthy report that interprets the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and explores many issues pertaining to youth and children’s rights. The report, titled “The Evolving Capacities of the Child,” finds that age does not directly correspond with competence and capacity, and cites numerous…
NYRA members may begin to notice changes on the website and on the forums. In mid-November, James (Jim) Pleger joined the developers at NYRA to enhance the site. With the additional help, NYRA will become more integrated and user-friendly. He is currently studying Computer Information Systems (CIS) at a local college in Phoenix, Ariz. While…
