FOED 7060 Entry #5 Child Farmworkers

I was really shocked when I began reading about children farmworkers, but not as much as my husband. I was telling him about the article, the statistics, and about how I did not know this was a big as it is. His response was, "Well, I'll have to see it before I believe it." I think my husband, like so many other people, live with the idea that child labor was eradicated back in 1938. However, it is a very big problem in the United States and all around the world.

The article stated that approximately 500,000 children as young as 10 years old are working on American farms for upwards of 70 hours a week for as little as $2 an hour (when school is out of session). They are subjected to unsanitary working conditions, pesticide contamination, increased injury rates, and extreme heat. The last legislation that passed controlling child labor was in 1938 when the Fair Labor Standards Act set standards for child labor. There are certain restrictions for age, hours, and level of hazards; however, there are loopholes for child farmworkers. They can begin work at earlier ages, work longer hours, and are subjected to greater hazards (like pesticides and sharp tools). Children working at McDonald's (or any work not on a farm) can only work 3 hours a day when school is in session, but the time child farmworkers can work is not regulated except it can not be during school hours. Also, the McDonald's workers do not have to deal with the lack of restrooms, unclean water to drink and wash with, extreme heat, and pesticides being sprayed above their heads.


The No Child Left Behind Act 2001 required that schools identify migrant children and offer them services that are offered to all children as well as special services. The Migrant Education Program is a national, federally funded program through the Department of Education that supplies supplemental educational services to eligible migrant youth and children between the ages of 3 and 22 regardless of legal status. Migrant children may receive special education services, ELL services, transition services, and education about post secondary education services and training. But, even though these services are offered, many children drop at of school before graduating to supplement their families income, even though they would rather stay in school.

What can we do as teachers and consumers? As teachers we are required to follow the regulations set forth in the No Child Left Behind Act, make sure migrant children are registered and aware of the services available to them. We also need to go the extra mile for these students who may be here without their family, working long hours every day, eating poorly, etc... As consumers we need to be aware of where the food and clothing we buy come from. There are websites that list organizations, materials, and companies that do not support unfair child labor practices.

Have you ever read Esperanza Rising? The 7th grade reading class at my school reads it every year. It is about a young Mexican girl who has to struggle with her family working in the fields for very low wages. It is a real eye opener to learn that this fictional story is really taking place every day. I had a migrant child in my room a couple of years ago. He was always telling about working in the fields in Florida during the summer months. Luckily, his family knew the importance of living in a stable environment, so they would only require him to work when school was not in session. He frequently commented about how lucky he was to have the chance to go to school so he would not have to work like his mom and dad. Developmentally, he had some gaps and required special services, but he has done very well for himself, because he worked very hard to close those gaps. His story could have turned out very differently.

We so often take for granite the luxuries we have in America. Articles like this bring to light the real struggles many people are going through and make us aware that changes need to take place. There is currently a bill before the House Committee on Education and Labor that would amend the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act. The Care Act 2009, as it is called, allows for increased regulations and fines for those breaking the law. Contact your representatives and let them know how you feel about child farmworker regulations. For further information check the website provided below.

http://washlaborwire.com/2009/09/22/childrens-act-for-responsible-employment-of-2009-care-act-hr-3564/