Requiring a school-approved work permit for teens between the ages of 14 and 17 seems like an antiquated notion halfway through the 2020s.

In addition to a work permit signed by a school, current state law requires a parent or guardian to provide a written statement that the teen is able to work. Rep. Dan Moul, R-Gettysburg, wants to end the school approval for a work permit and instead let the statement of a parent or guardian provide authority for a teen who wants to enter the workforce. Instead of a work permit, Moul proposes requiring a written statement from the youth’s parents or legal guardians acknowledging they understand the duties and hours of employment and granting permission for the minor to work.

The only reason, in our view, that a school needs to know if a teen under the age of 17 is working is to make sure the teen is attending school when required to do so rather than being scheduled to work. Otherwise, the decision of whether or not a teen should have an after-school or weekend job should rest with the teen and the teen’s parents.

We think Moul’s bill should be tweaked to ensure schools are notified as a way to make sure a teen’s job isn’t getting in the way of their education, but otherwise aren’t sure schools should be making decisions that should be made by parents.

That doesn’t mean, however, that the state shouldn’t step back from making sure provisions of the state’s Child Labor Act are being followed by businesses that hire teenagers. One criticism of bills like Moul’s that eliminate work permits is that it makes it easier for businesses to take advantage of teenagers by having them work too many hours or perform tasks that are illegal or potentially hazardous.

Work permits may be a thing of the past, but the state should make sure that enforcement of child labor laws remains vigilant. As long as Moul’s legislation doesn’t decrease enforcement of child labor laws, it’s hard to see why giving parents, rather than schools, the final say on a teen’s working status shouldn’t move forward.