03-16-2018, 10:30 AM
(03-16-2018, 01:01 AM)Dill Wrote: I am guessing that King was accused of deploying children as political pawns.
Yhe story is that at first he did not want to use children, but he just was not able to get a large enough number of adults who could afford to go to jail, pay fines, and lose their jobs. Children actually volunteered and wanted to help. They knew what was going on and they were outraged. In fact many argued that the most damaging effect of segregation was on children's education. The inferior education at the all black schools was exacerbating the lack of opportunity for blacks when they became adults. Public education is probably the one greatest tool in giving equal opportunity to everyone.
I don't know if it was his plan from the beginning or if he was forced to use children, but the kids were not being manipulated in any way. They were not "used" anymore than any adult protestor who would have gotten arrested.
There are tons of stories out there from the children themselves (told as adults). Many of them disobeyed their parents in order to take part in the protests.
