Exercise 23: Should secondary school students work and if so, how much? ( p. 34)
- Ms Kelly: She is a MacBurger’s store owner. She has experience in the industry and explains that students can benefit. She also has a vested interest because MacBurger employs many young students.
- Mr Swan: He believes that young children are often exploited by employers because they are unaware of their rights.
Mr Swan’s views are reliable in so far as they draw upon his personal experience as a paper boy. However, this is probably 20 years ago and things may have changed. He does note that there are other similar claims to his and refers to the Standing Committee on Education and Training which is a government-sponsored report.
- Mrs Annie Jameson: Mrs Jameson is the principal of McFinten Grammar and, accordingly, speaks with an air of authority. She offers her personal opinion, but supports it with a government study evaluating the effect of work on school children.
We would consider that her views are reliable; the report also comes from a reputable source (the National Centre for Vocational Education Research) which also confirms her view that young adults can work up to 10 hours without an adverse effect on their studies.
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