The proposed youth curfew in Fayetteville, NC has been advanced 7-2 by the city council. It would prohibit minors aged 17 and 18 from being out of their houses 12 am – 5 am on weeknights, 1 am – 5 am on weekends, and would bar minors 16 and younger from being on the street 11 pm – 5 am all seven days of the week.
This curfew law also includes a provision that would prohibit suspended students from being out of their houses 7:30 am – 4:30 pm on school days. This means that suspended students will only be able to be on the street 5 am – 7:30 am, and after the work day is over, 4:30 pm – 11:00 pm. Such a draconian policy would limit their ability to work, run errands, etc.
This proposed youth curfew is the first of its kind in that seeks to implement drastic measures against youth not only on the basis of their age but also their school status (i.e. whether they are suspended or not). It would establish curfew laws at a time when youth are not expected to be asleep, smack dab in the middle of the day. This is an egregious violation of the basic human right to be out of your house when you wish and seeks to establish a punitive system for high schoolers city-wide.
The city plans to enforce this law by fining parents up to $100 and charging minors found violating the curfew with a misdemeanor. Additionally, the curfew law would allow police to stop anyone who looks underage. It has rightfully been criticized by many as “de facto stop and frisk” and just another way to target the Black community.
NYRA condemns what is happening in Fayetteville, as we condemn all youth curfew laws across the country. The bitter irony that this is happening in a city that calls itself “All-American” and hosts Fort Liberty is hard for us to escape.
Fayetteville city council, stop this youth curfew immediately!
For more info, please refer to this article by local news network WRAL: https://www.wral.com/story/fayetteville-city-council-to-discuss-youth-curfew-after-residents-protest-proposal/21043639/
