A Youtube video posted by New York State Senator Eric Adams is creating controversy, because of its exhortation of parents to keep tabs on their kids by going through their things, room and so on.
According to Senator Adams, kids have no first amendment rights that need protecting within the home, and it is important for parents to know what is going on even if it means spying on kids.
Adams, who was earlier part of the NY police department, is of the view that such actions are for the safety and security of kids, and to lower rate of crime and violence in general.
According to him it is not just the right of parents but also their duty to check on their children; searches may reveal things such as drugs, weapons and other evidence of other undesirable activities and so on.
Alex Koroknay-Palicz, executive director of the National Youth Rights Association however takes a contrary view – he thinks this could undermine basic trust in a parent child relationship and that this could actually be dangerous and counterproductive. Such parental attitudes and behavior could drive children to actually leave their homes, he opines.
Whereas Adams thinks there is need to control gun violence and crime, Koroknay-Palicz is of the view that there is no such crisis, crime is at the lowest rate in 30 years and that kids today are probably safer than their parents were.
