Unwicked

This story in the NY Times sounds the alarm that an unscripted CBS program called KID NATION may have violated some laws intended to protect children. The more I read, however, the more I thought that this sounded like it might have been a good experience for the young people involved.

The ads promoting “Kid Nation,” a new reality show coming to CBS next month, extol the incredible experience of a group of 40 children, ages 8 to 15, who built a sort of idealistic society in a New Mexico ghost town, free of adults. For 40 days the children cooked their own meals, cleaned their own outhouses, formed a government and ran their own businesses, all without adult intervention or participation.

I’m no judge or jury, and while I don’t want to dismiss the possible immoral actions of a television network, I’d like to propose that we also need to direct our indignation at rampant and deadly abuse eslewhere. There are many US corporations who use child labor in other countries to bring cheap products to our Wal- and K- Marts.

“Everyone usually had a job,” said Mike, an 11-year-old from Bellevue, Wash., who participated in the show. Among them were cooking, cleaning, hauling water and running the stores, where, he said: “It was hard work, but it was really good. It taught us all that life is not all play and no work.”

Taylor, from Georgia, agreed. “I learned I have to work for what I want,” she said.

While The Times story highlights the lack of tutors on set for the children who ranged in ages from 8 to 15 years (a legal requirement), at least they learned something. If they learned not to work in Television, then isn’t that a valuable lesson learned?