Can a school force students to perform manual labor without parental consent or compensation?
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Can a school force students to perform manual labor without parental consent or compensation?
The gym teacher for my 15 year old stepson recently had him and several other students move cinderblock to the baseball field of the new high school. The purpose was to help build a dugout which the school could not afford to do at the time. My understanding our state’s child labor laws leads me to believe this is not legal at all. My son was not hired nor compensated for this highly unusual task, nor were the students required to wear gloves, which to my understanding, is in violation of OSHA regulations.
Asked on December 17, 2012 under Employment Labor Law, Virginia
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Based upon what you have written, your stepson was not required to do the physical labor at the school that you have written about. He is a student attending the institution and not a laborer. I suggest that you have a face to face meeting with thye school's principal over what transpired.
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