They would be in school? Really? Where would they get the money because people in china, nepal and all those other asian countries have to PAY to go to school. They also wear uniforms in poor countries...where is a child to get the money for the uniform. And also where would they get money to eat? No school lunch program in those countries either. How much do you think a starving kid is going to learn in school? When I was in philippines last year, I spoke to some street children who were begging for money. I asked how much they made per day and they said they made about 15 pesos per day begging (34 cents) on averge. The best day they ever had begging, was 50 pesos (or about $1) They usually have to spend all day out there to make that and its only enough money for 1 meal (and not that big of a meal either) Could you study with one meal per day? Is it any wonder if a kid is offered wages of $2 per day, a place to sleep, and 3 meals per day that they wouldnt jump at the chance? Especially if they are on their own without anyone to take care of them. Americans forget that the rest of the world is a completely different place to live and the rules that go here are not the rules that work somewhere else. If americans want to boycott some place that has child labor, at least send money to the kids for food & schooling every month. But most boycotters wont do that. They just want to punish the factory owners and dont care what happens after that.
LOL, you think these poor children in rural China would be going to school if it weren't for "evil AAPL" outsourcing manufacturing? That is funny. Rural China isn't a lot different than the US was 100 years ago. What do you think your great-great-granfather did in his teens? Probably worked or farmed more by the time he was 20, then you have in your whole life. I'm not saying this is great for the children. But they happen to have been born in a part of the world that is generally harsher for its citizens. With that said, I'm not sure how horrible it is that these kids are able to produce something and create some wealth for them self, their families, their town/city, etc.
When you can demonstrate to me that China is suffering from a serious labor shortage you might convince me that factories should be employing children. Also, China has public schools that don't charge tuition. So yes, children in China do go to school, when they're not working in a factory.