The American Farmer is an occupation that summons admiration for its ethics of hard work, self-sufficiency, pride and tradition. And because people typically romanticize farm life as wholesome, it has been impossible to adopt legislation that would save the lives of children who work on them. This needs to CHANGE!
Every year children are killed while working on farms all across America. They fall in silos, they lose arms, legs, eyes and hearing doing the back breaking work that most adults would find hard to cope with. And some, like 15-year-old Michael Steele, lose their lives when they get run over by a tractor.
From the time he was 13-years-old Michael Steele worked like a man to save enough money to buy a pickup truck. Instead, while driving an old International Harvester Tractor, he lost his balance, fell off and was run over. The tractor crushed his chest; killing him instantly.
Tragedies like this are less likely to occur if The Children’s Act for Responsible Employment, or CARE Act, were applied to the agricultural community. As it stands now, children under the age of 16 are NOT allowed to make French fries at McDonald’s, but they ARE allowed to risk their lives on dangerous farm equipment. They are also working in tobacco fields and getting coated with hazardous TAR all over them.
Support the CARE Act and tell President Obama to BAN dangerous farm labor for every child under the age of 16!
Dear President Obama,
American farm children are maimed or killed every year because there are no laws protecting them from working in unsafe conditions.
Children under the age of 16 should not be allowed to operate or be near dangerous equipment and hazardous materials. But that is exactly what is happening!
We, the undersigned, are writing to ask that you support legislation such as the CARE Act and stop these needless tragedies from occurring!
Sincerely,
Update #210 years ago
We all know that tobacco is deadly, yet all across this nation children are working in tobacco fields! This amounts to child abuse and should be against the law! Please sign this petition to demand that children be protected from this deadly environment!
Update #110 years ago
As of November 22, 2013, The Child Labor Coalition is calling on the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to immediately ban child labor in tobacco fields. We don't let children purchase or smoke tobacco so why would we make them work in tobacco fields?! Show your support by Signing and Sharing the CARE2 Petition! You may save a child's life!
