Youth rights (Youth meaning 16-21)

Con I am new to Debate.org and this is my first proper debate here, and is a bit of a learning experience so you will have to forgive my possible lack of structure! I will learn eventually! C1: Do teens have adult responsibilities? It is true that teenagers (16 and over) may not yet have full adult responsibilities, which is why I am not asking for full adult rights. I do not foolishly pretend a 16 year old should be allowed to sign contracts, sue, and move out on their own. I argue instead that 16 year old's do have a certain set of adult responsibilities which do not apply to the aptly mentioned 14 year old's. A 16 year old is required to attend a high school in Canada, and in several states in the USA. This level of secondary education is much higher and more difficult then elementary education required by those under 15. The work load is higher, approaching that of university when in the senior grades, the hours are long and start very early, and the stress is many times more then that of an elementary schooling system. 16 year old's most often require jobs, to afford things they need. In my opinion if you can afford something (IE. Wine, a car) with your own hard earned money, it should be available to you. You mention that adolescence is prolonged more then ever. Do you think this is right? We as a society are keeping our young adults children, in effect, dumbing them down and thrusting them suddenly into a world of adult responsibilities and rights at a given age. This is a recipe for binging on all the things previously unavailable, and being unable to handle the weight of the new responsibilities. While the argument of age of majority is a different one, I would like to maintain my argument about the drinking age and driving age. Con say's that children 6-13 must attend school but are disqualified from the argument. This is because children 6-13 have not usually reached even adolescence yet, and all of them are both too young to have a job (and therefore pay taxes) and still within elementary schooling, where they are not expected to act as adults and the work load and stress is considerably lower then high school. Con say's 16 year old's ought not receive full adult rights because they do not have full adult responsibilities. I heartily agree, which is why I ask for PARTIAL adult rights (drinking, driving, absence of curfew) in exchange for the PARTIAL adult responsibilities laid upon them. C2. Unfairness to the young by those who are older? Con say's that none of my argument pertains ONLY to those aged 16. I disagree. Those under age 16 typically are in either a junior grade in high school (9) or are still within the elementary schooling system. Further, people under 15 are typically not allowed to have a job (and pay taxes) as they are not physically developed enough to handle the task (usually). My argument is that most rights are suddenly given to a person at one age. As one advances through childhood and adolescence, one gradually receives more and more responsibility, until at 18, one has received all of them. responsibilities culminating in your 18th year when you are given all of them. I advise that as a teenager advances through the rungs of responsibility he or she ought be given matching rights. A 16 year old is probably going to be working harder then a 10 year old in the fields of school and career. Also a 16 year old is expected to act mature and behave as an adult does and is punished if he or she does not. This does not apply to a 10 year old, especially in a schooling environment. I am not asking for full right's at 16, I am only asking for ones rights to match ones responsibilities and contribution to society, as opposed to ones age.