Washington state fifth graders plotted to kill girl, authorities say

[Douglas Carpenter]

57. under the common law children at 10 could work in the mines - but we have moved on to a view that

children are protected largely because it is accepted that children are too young to make certain decisions. If a child of 10 or 12 or 13 is to be held responsible for their actions the same way an adult would be held responsible - then there really is no rational basis for age of consent laws or laws requiring children of that age to attend school if they don't want to or restricting a child of that age from buying and consuming alcohol. I recall specifically one poster here who would demand that an eleven or twelve year old be tried as an adult and the very same poster would demand that anyone who had sexual relations with someone under 16 should be subjected to the death penalty. I don't think that is logically consistent. A child of that age cannot be both incapable of consent and responsible for their actions.