I heard a small blurb on the local news yesterday about arresting parents of students being arrested for allowing their children excessive absences at school. I hope this is the trend and it will continue. Congratulations for this positive step towards taking back our schools.
There are way too many students that miss over 10 days of class per semester. I can not think of any reason that students should miss that much school unless they have a serious medical issue. I had a ninth grade student last year that was absent more than 80 days. I spoke to his mother and she said she couldn't wake him in the morning. Who is in charge at the house? Some students miss school without their parents knowledge- but every parent should know when progress reports are released. Every 4.5 weeks this document is released and it is part of your job as a parent to find out this information.
I had another student a year ago and his mother wouldn't let him in the house some days. He was definitely gay and his older brother (and probably the mom) was a drug dealer. Unfortunately, being gay in some households is worse than being a criminal. This kid was living at friends homes or on the streets and the only meals he was receiving were at school. I came to find out that the mom had kept him out of elementary school for four years. Now he was in ninth grade and failing everything. Go figure.
We live in a country that prides itself for providing everyone with an education. We must establish some guidelines and hold both the student and parent responsible for not meeting the standards of attendance and behavior. we are under extreme financial burdens. Our tax base has been severely disrupted. Use this time to affect real change in the minds of our lack-luster parents. If you start enforcing tough penalties due to truancy or poor behavior perhaps there will be an appreciation of a good education. School is not just day-care. It is the first step towards self-discipline and self-improvement.
