Final answer:
The children face mistreatment due to the person their parent or guardian is defending, which could be rooted in societal issues like class struggle, welfare stigmatization, and societal values.
Step-by-step explanation:
The context given suggests that the children are mistreated by some people because of the person their parent or guardian is defending. The parent or guardian might be in a profession or a position where they are required to defend or represent individuals or groups that are not favorably viewed by certain sections of society. This could lead to prejudice or stigmatization of the children due to the association with the contested parties their parent or guardian represents.
Such situations are connected to broader societal issues like class struggle, welfare stigmatization, and societal values. The facts that welfare is commonly and erroneously associated with certain racial groups in America or that children from working-class families have been historically looked down upon for working in factories demonstrate how societal perceptions and prejudices can impact individuals and families.
Moreover, the influence of societal perceptions on children's worldviews is significant. The prejudicial treatment might not only be due to the parent's profession but could also be tied to the family's social class, race, or ethnicity, which reflects longstanding societal biases and stereotypes. This mistreatment underscores the need for critical thinking and the challenging of such biases, demonstrating the complexity of the issues at hand.