Here at WS, over half of students work, and all of them who are under 18 have money taken out of their paycheck by taxes, yet have no vote in our government.  

Many years ago, our forefathers liberated our fledgling nation from the oppressive British tyrants ruling over our land. Those brave souls fought valiantly, overcoming the greatest of trials and tribulations, raging against the worst of all violations: taxation without representation. They protested and fought to guarantee that no one (except women, non-Whites, the wrong kind of Whites, non-land owners, non-Christians, the wrong kind of Christians, and people who like their steak well done) would ever be taxed without proper representation. Over the course of our nation’s history, voting rights have been expanded greatly, however they continue to exclude one key group—children.

For too long, working people under the age of 18 have been taxed while lacking representation in our government. This blatant violation of our inherent rights has gone un-discussed and un-rectified. No teenager working a minimum wage job should ever be deprived of their hard-earned money without proper representation. 

Children are the most underrepresented class, despite making up 22% of the population we make up 0% of Congress. In 1776, the colonists revolted against taxation without representation, so why should we tolerate the same injustices levied against them? The answer is we shouldn’t. 

That is why today, fellow Americans, we must heed this call. Friends, Romans, middle-schoolers, lend me your ear; we must succeed from the union, and create our own nation where no one is deprived of their basic rights. Bed times, video game limits, and homework will all be things of the past, dethroned institutions of oppressive ageist rhetoric. No 98 year-old decomposing husk of a congressman will be able to forcefully strip us of our hard earned pocket change. Soon we, the children, will be the ruling class of this country. Already we share many qualities with our geriatric overlords: fiery tempers, unrefined problem solving skills, and an inability to control our bladders. 

A new age is upon us, soon the most oppressed class will be free and children will rule the world, just like that one John Lennon song.