Last month South Carolina mother Debra Harrell was arrested for letting her 9-year-old daughter play in a park unsupervised while she was at work. Since then numerous other parents have also been arrested for allowing their children to play in public places, both indoors and outside, unsupervised.
As the nation debates whether such parenting choices are acceptable or neglectful, the latest Reason-Rupe national telephone poll finds 82 percent of Americans believe the law should require children 9-years-old and younger to be supervised while playing in public parks. Just 17 percent of Americans think 9-year-olds should be able to play unsupervised at the park. I'm not sure a 15 year old in today's society should.
Interested in the rest of the findings? Click here: http://reason.com/poll/2014/08/18/reason-rupe-poll-august-poll-html#parenting

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Plenty of free activities for kids are part of the Peachtree Corners Festival on Saturday and Sunday, including bubble fun, sand art and face painting. (Courtesy of Peachtree Corners Festival)

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Julian Conley listens during opening statements in his trial at Fulton County Superior Court in Atlanta on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. The 25-year-old is accused of fatally shooting 8-year-old Secoriea Turner in July 2020. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)

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