Amariyah Mallory 
Teens have struggled more and more to find safe places to congregate and have fun. Many establishments now prevent youth from entering their restaurants, movie theaters, and stores without an adult if you’re under 18. For a few years now, the teen meetups across the city have been happening in public spaces that have led to complaints from community members and law enforcement. These meets also known as “trends” or “teen takeovers” have become a hot topic for youth in Chicago and its surrounding areas.
Recently, the Chicago City Council’s Committee on Public Safety voted to advance a new “snap curfew” ordinance. This new ordinance will allow the Chicago Police Department to enact a curfew with a 30-minute warning, anytime, anywhere when a group of 20 or more are gathered. If teens fail to adhere to the curfew, it has been reported that they may be subject to a fine of up to $500 or community service.
The vote has since been delayed till the next committee meeting on June 18th. While it is likely that the bill will pass, many city officials believe more resources should be directed towards safe spaces and activities for teens.
Many teens have conflicting feelings about the new “snap curfew.” Keep reading to find out what some Chicago youth have to say.
“I think curfews can be helpful if they’re properly enforced. It’s all about how the authoritative figures approach the clearing of teen-filled areas, because when they can calmly get everyone out of one place, things run more smoothly and safely, rather than the threatening approach that we usually see in this city. That’s the thing that can be a root cause of retaliation or add to the problem.” – Madisyn Godbolt, Junior, Lindblom High School
“I think that it’s extra, because a lot of places already require teens to be with an adult past a certain time.” – Gabrielle Primus, Junior, Whitney Young High School
“Honestly, I kind of get why the new curfew in Chicago [may be] put in place—some teens really don’t know how to act, and they end up making all of us look bad. There have been way too many situations where things turned chaotic or even dangerous, so I understand the city wanting to keep things under control. But at the same time, it feels unfair to kids like me and my friends who just want to be out, have fun, and enjoy our city safely. We’re not causing trouble—we’re just trying to live our lives, and now we’re getting lumped in with the ones who are. It sucks that the actions of a few are making it harder for the rest of us to have freedom and make memories.” – Amia Mallory, Junior, Lindblum High School
“Although this curfew is enforced to promote safety, I think it is unfair because it takes freedom away from teens. Teens should have a voice in decisions that affect them.”
“It may not have the impact that they want it to because it may push the kids to do the same activities, but earlier in the day. I think the curfew will egg them on even more.” – Jahkil Jackson, Senior, Curie High School
“I feel like it’s understandable, but also slightly extreme. I definitely get the frustration that follows when teens disrupt spaces because it even ruins when other teens have plans. However, the consequences and guidelines to it, I feel, can be looser.” – Peighton Williams, Junior, Lindblom High School
“Although this curfew is enforced to promote safety, I think it is unfair because it takes freedom away from teens. Teens should have a voice in decisions that affect them.” – Autumn Ward, Junior, Whitney Young High School
“While I think that the idea of a snap curfew in the city could be effective in a practical sense, my concerns lie in where exactly teenagers will be able to go in the city.” –Jermale Dabney, Senior, Lindblom High School
Personally, I saw this coming. While I am disappointed with the approach to reducing the disruption caused by teens, I do believe that teens were abusing their freedom. The “trends” were becoming dangerous and disruptive, but all teens should not be punished for the action of one small portion of teens who chose to participate. Installing such a curfew would not only affect youth who are participating in the trends, but it will also hit the impartial teens who may have jobs or extracurricular activities that caused them to be out later at night. I think it’s unfair to give teens 30 minutes to return home on short notice. If teens have to wait on a parent, rideshare, or public transportation to pick them up, I don’t think 30 minutes is a sufficient grace period.
Many teens have expressed that they attend the “trends” to have fun and meet new people. I believe the city should focus on creating more opportunities for teens to get together safely, rather than issue a curfew that could prevent us from enjoying our teen years.
How do you feel about the idea of the snap curfew? Hit me up and let me know.
By Amariyah Mallory, Junior, Whitney Young
IG: Dancemari_
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