One of the big under-covered stories of 2023 was the rolling back of child labor laws. The major restrictions on child labor were part of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, and from there the states passed their own versions of protections for children. Many of these laws distinguish between agricultural labor and other sorts, in part so that junior could work on the family farm without getting Ma and Pa fined or arrested. But the idea was that maybe putting children in harm's way or depriving them of the chance to get an education
You are so on the money with this one.
From More Perfect Union, in Indiana, an eighth grade education is enough:
https://substack.perfectunion.us/p/indiana-bill-would-let-14-year-olds?publication_id=1581149&post_id=140602420&isFreemail=false&r=1cllq