The Return of Child Labor in America

Although it Never Really Went Away

By John L. Spivak — Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Detroit Publishing Company Collection, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65943203

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers recently vetoed a bill that would have allowed 14-year-old children to work without parental consent or a state permit.

“Asking more kids to work is not a serious plan or solution to address our statewide workforce issues,” — Tony Evers

In the past two years, at least 10 states have introduced or passed laws rolling back child labor protections. They are Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. South Dakota’s effort was withdrawn and Wisnonsin’s was vetoed. All the others were enacted or are still in the approval process. This comes at a time when violations of federal laws protecting children are steadily rising.

Child labor laws are under attack in states across the country: Amid increasing child labor…

Because I dwell in historical spaces, I am shocked by little that I see when researching, but the cover photo for this story struck a nerve. Seeing this photo of young boys and later learning they were…