I don't think the Coogan Act has anything to do with education. It was something they put together to protect the earnings of children so they don't ripped off like Jackie Coogan did. Having a tutor on set is something the state or federal law requires. Unless they added education in but that wouldn't make sense.
Keith,
Education was at the very heart of it. If it were only a matter of money, that's rectifiable easily enough, but the big tragedy in Coogan's case, was, not only was the money squandered away by his family, but he had no means of recouping any of it, because he was unemployable in any realm. You see, Coogan
never got an education, ...of any sort. He was deliberately kept out of school in order to work, because he was earning millions, ...both for the studios that hired him, and for his family who was spending the money as quickly as he made it. Then when he was used up, washed up and couldn't work anymore, ...all his millions were gone, and he had never attended school, ...had no skills whatsoever. I think he didn't even know how to read or write.
There are variations on Coogans law everywhere. I know in Canada, minors are only allowed to have access to 25% of their earnings (to cover agent/mgrs fees & miscellaneous business expenses). The other 75% goes into an interest bearing trust account that they can only access upon coming of age, ...and tutors on the set are a requirement during the school year. ACTRA stipulates 1 tutor per child. Did you never notice that shoots involving minors shoot heavily in the summers, as well as on weekends if they can? That's also why you have gals like Gabrielle Carteris (30-somethings playing teenagers) The only way the studios can do the shoots without incurring the additional expenses of tutors, or limiting their shoot days (ie: overtime and consecutive workdays) is by not using minors.
Coogan's law impacts not only the performers but also the studios, and where it affects the studios, is in the stipulations & provisions they must meet in order to have minors participate in their productions. Child labour is illegal in the west, with very few exemptions. The film industry is exempt, but there are strict regulations they must follow in order to receive that exemption, ...and Coogan's law is one of them.
