In a move that feels straight out of a dystopian nightmare, Gloucester Township, just outside Philadelphia, has enacted a controversial ordinance. The law, ominously titled “Minors and Parent Responsibility,” threatens to put moms and dads behind bars—up to three months—and slap hefty fines if their children rack up multiple juvenile offenses. All in the name of holding parents “accountable” for their kids’ misbehavior.
This attempt at social discipline is not rooted in addressing the root causes of youth violence or disorder, but rather, in what critics see as a full-blown crackdown on parental rights. It stems from a chaotic brawl involving nearly 500 minors at the 2024 Gloucester Township Day and Drone Show, which left three officers injured and a community shaken.
The law casts a sweeping net—covering 28 juvenile offenses, from loitering and destruction of property to assault, mugging, and drunkenness. Now, a child’s repeat offenses could result in a parent’s incarceration or a $2,000 fine.
Supporters like Mayor David Mayer argue it’s about responsibility but parents are outraged. They see it as an overreach, a dangerous precursor to a punitive state that penalizes families instead of fixing the social fabric that produces these incidents. Meanwhile, the policies emerging from New Jersey’s classrooms—like the controversial Policy 5756, which keeps parental involvement in a child’s gender identity hidden—further deepen the sense that the state is increasingly inscrutable and detached from the families it claims to serve.
“How can parents be blamed when they’re kept in the dark?” asked one local mother. “And how can they be expected to fix what they don’t even know is broken?”
Fair question. Gloucester Township don't have a sensible answer.