Activism isn't child's play Posted Thursday, April 22, 2004 by Annie Shuppy Twelve-year-old Ashley Eivins can explain why she believed Dick Gephardt's health-care plan was the best among those of the Democratic presidential candidates vying for the nomination last fall. Her sixth-grade classmate, Spencer Lundquist, has enough media savvy to request that some of his comments go "off the record" during his interview. Patrick Barnes, 11, talks about visiting India next fall with Lundquist so they can film a documentary on child labor. Asked about her career aspirations, Luan Heywood, 12, will tell you she wants to "do everything, frankly," and may have trouble settling on a career. For now, Heywood and her classmates are busy informing the community about child labor. Inspired by a fall 2003 visit from Chivy Sok, the deputy director of the UI Center for Human Rights, the students in Alisa Meggitt's social-studies class at Lucas Elementary School, 830 Southlawn Drive, formed a group called Children Helping Innocent Laborers Democratically. Since last fall, they have made appearances all over Iowa City to advocate their cause, but they still rely on their parents for transportation — even a learner's permit is at least two years away for these young activists. Meggitt's sixth-graders have taken their concerns about child labor to state lawmakers, and they are working on a questionnaire to send to President Bush and Sen. John Kerry. In addition, they are raising money for their group and creating a bookmark with facts about child labor to increase public awareness. Still, the students say, many adults $#151; including elected officials — do not know much about child labor or have not addressed the issue. Many of the sixth-graders also said their findings have led them to quit buying merchandise from companies that use child labor, as they work to spread the word to others. "Our lives are touched by child labor," Lundquist said. "Kids get tortured just so we can have a soccer ball." Heywood, who called child labor an "overlooked issue," advocates putting labels on clothing to alert consumers of possible child labor. She said it is "shocking" how little Americans know about the issue, adding that many may be apathetic because the abuse is not happening in the country. Eivins speculated that leaders may not take on child labor because they are consumed with other priorities, including the economy. "They don't get into it because they're so deep in the budget," she said. "They're trying to figure out how to pay for this and that because President Bush has put us so badly in debt." Meggitt, a UI alumna and former Peace Corps member, described her students' activism as "desire-based learning." She added that these activities, which are not part of the official curriculum, boost the kids' confidence as they teeter on adolescence. "If they're in a position to advocate what they care about, they'll be much more inspired to do the research and learn," she said. Although she says she wants her students to be problem solvers, she added, "They're not being indoctrinated into political activism." She guides the students, she said, and they come to her with their own ideas about how they want to improve their world. "You give them this much, and they take this much," Meggitt said, stretching out her arms for emphasis. Reprinted with permission from the Daily Iowan
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