No doubt, the United Kingdom's landmark decision to leave the European Union (EU) in its Brexit (British exit) referendum, will bring a cascading impact around the world. Big changes affecting economies, immigration, tourism, education and laws are expected, but no one will bear the brunt of the changes more than the children. The changes will also affect the youth of America in some ways.
Per Politico, Brexit could take years of implementation as there are plenty of legal hurdles that the UK must satisfy. However, here's how Brexit will change for the children:
Brexit And EU Laws Protecting Children
Open Democracy sites that while the UK, which is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, uphold strong laws in their own countries, there are still many EU laws and policies that indirectly govern and protect the rights of the children. Among these include cross-border family law, policies on immigration and asylum, adoption laws, laws on child pornography and even laws on consumer safety standards for toys, medications and other basic needs.
Some of these laws work best in a collective EU environment, as opposed to an independent UK environment, particularly when cases require coordination with different administrate, political and legal channels. The European Commission also provides funding that will benefit various initiatives for children, which will be scrapped once Britain is out.
Just one more example in which Britain's youngest generations have been shafted by their parents. (v @garymoody65) pic.twitter.com/XuyZUsEclM
— Paul Lewis (@PaulLewis) June 24, 2016
Brexit And Children's Education
Per Times Educational Supplement, some 70 percent of teachers in the UK are in favor of staying in the EU. They believe that the British youth can gain better opportunities for studying abroad as EU-member countries benefit from each other. This can also translate to getting better job benefits for a British national intending to work in France or other EU countries.
Many schools and universities also employ foreign teachers from EU-member countries. However, once the Brexit is in place, some of them might consider leaving the UK as well. It is projected that the UK could lose 400,000 teachers with the Brexit, per Huffington Post.
Those who will actually gain from Brexit in terms of education are rich foreigners, such as Chinese, or Russians, or Americans who will be able to afford sending their children to British schools. Because Brexit will impact the pound, school fees in the UK will be more affordable for affluent families. According to The Guardian, there is a strong market for this. Daily Express reports that there are already parents looking forward to funding children's education as British money is expected to devaluate.
@nytimes happy indepedence Day England
— Aris Caesar (@1000Face) June 24, 2016
Brexit And Family Travels
Families in the UK are holding off having kids or booking holidays until the Brexit is settled as living costs will change in the coming months or years. But for those living outside of the UK, such as Americans, the cost to visit London would become less expensive as a result of Brexit, per ABC News.
It should be noted that votes to leave the UK came mostly from the working class who feel that many opportunities have been lost on them because of immigrants and other arrangements with other EU countries. The votes to remain in the UK mostly came from the youth who support multi-cultural life.
