Free-range parenting for the white and wealthy‽ Nonsense. Some of the high-profile cases of wrongfully taking kids away from parents have been specifically non-white, non-wealthy families. What happens, of course, is that when the underprivileged parents are accused of neglect, they're more likely to be judged harshly. Protecting and respecting the rights of poorer parents to let their kids go play in the neighborhood park and such is as or more important as for privileged families.
To be clear, this isn't about solving some greater issue of safety. There's no big safety crisis. This is about parents letting their kids have some independence because even in poorer areas, the world is not that unsafe.
In fact, the safety of the one kid who plays alone in the park is much more of an issue than a group of kids. We need basic independence to be the norm because it doesn't work as well if it's rare.
To be clear, this isn't about solving some greater issue of safety. There's no big safety crisis. This is about parents letting their kids have some independence because even in poorer areas, the world is not that unsafe.
In fact, the safety of the one kid who plays alone in the park is much more of an issue than a group of kids. We need basic independence to be the norm because it doesn't work as well if it's rare.