Youth are not excluded from law, but are guided into it
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Guidance of Youth into Law
Category: Tsm’syen Law Page status: Working
Principle
Youth are not excluded from law, but are guided into it.
Law does not begin at adulthood. It begins through relationship, teaching, and care.
Inclusion Within Law
Youth exist within law by virtue of:
- Membership in houses and clans
- Protection under ayaawx
- Participation appropriate to age and readiness
- Responsibility carried on their behalf
- Preparation for future authority
Exclusion from law weakens continuity and accountability.
Guidance Rather Than Control
Guidance is distinct from control.
Guidance includes:
- Teaching rather than commanding
- Explaining rather than assuming
- Correcting rather than punishing
- Modeling lawful conduct
- Adjusting expectations to readiness
Control without guidance produces fear, not understanding.
Relationship to Teaching
Guidance occurs through deliberate teaching.
This includes:
- Transmission of ayaawx and adaawx
- Observation of governance and dispute resolution
- Participation in community responsibility
- Gradual increase in responsibility over time
Teaching prepares youth to enter law without distortion.
Safeguards and Limits
Guidance protects youth by:
- Preventing premature authority
- Avoiding burden beyond capacity
- Ensuring correction is proportional and caring
- Maintaining balance between protection and inclusion
Law that burdens youth without guidance is unlawful.
Modern Context
In contemporary governance, guiding youth into law means:
- Including youth as learners, not decision-makers
- Providing structured mentorship
- Ensuring visibility of lawful process
- Rejecting exclusion based on age alone
- Treating preparation as a legal responsibility
Youth guided into law become its future carriers.