13-year-old Colin Carlson – a sophomore at the University of Connecticut who is seeking a bachelor's degree in ecology and evolutionary biology and another in environmental studies – has filed an age discrimination claim against his school.
The University of Connecticut had rejected his application to study abroad in South Africa for what they've said are concerns for his safety. But Mr. Carlson doesn't see it that way:
"I'm losing time in my four-year plan for college," he said. "They're upsetting the framework of one of my majors."
With more and more child prodigies cropping up worldwide, might this question of age discrimination become more of an issue? I mean, if she or he is old enough to perform brain surgery, might they also be old enough to drink or drive a car?
Colin was 4 when he read Harry Potter, and 11 when he graduated high-school.
(1) There are obviously physiological changes that occur at puberty no matter how bright a child is, so I would say drinking is not dependent upon mental ability. If he's from a Catholic family, he's probably drinking from the age of 12 on anyway.
ReplyDeleteI would think if the school got a waiver from the parents that it recommended against Colin participating and that it had zero responsibility for Colin's well-being, it would allow him to go.