WOW. The police have caught 425 students playing hooky out in Prince George’s County since the end of February.
Of the 425 truants found since the program began, 18 were arrested because of what they were doing at the time. Officers reported finding 44 truants from last Monday to Friday
[...]
Truancy has been a focus of Prince George’s officials in recent months. The school system identified combating truancy as a priority. It has set a goal of increasing attendance by 5 percent in the next three to five years and is hiring extra personnel to work with students and parents.
The county’s legislators also have proposed measures to crack down on truancy.
One bill — pushed by Del. Gerron S. Levi (D-Prince George’s) and approved by the House — would make it possible to deny driver’s licenses to students because of unexcused absences. The bill would require school districts to report each case of truancy to the Motor Vehicle Administration, and the student would have to present an attendance record to the state to get a permit. [MORE...]
What about those that already have driver’s licences?
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I hated highschool. I had to graduate from summer school. Not because of my grades but becuse of my attendance, which was so stupid. The teachers couldn’t stand that I would turn in all my assignments (aint that what the syllabus is for) and come in for the exams and ace them. My 1st period law teacher held me back, after saying that if I did the extra credit and go to the law library and do about 3 cases he would excuse my absences. After I did all of that (my step father was a lawyer and I knew my way around a law office quite well as he would often send me down there for his firm), he was shocked and still made me take the class over in summer school.
I graduated from college with a 3.8 and was on the Dean’s list. I loved college, because all you had to do was come in for mid terms and final exams (the first two years) and it ws basically independant study.
I did not learn how to drive until I was 23 years old, so that little law wouldn’t have bothered me one bit.
There are better ways than denying kids driver’s licenses to make them want to attend school. A percentage in every school just find it boring for one reason or another. It is not always apathy. Many times it is shyness, lack of social skills, bullying, even learning disabilities that go undiagnosed. The better answer would be offering something as a reward that would make the kids want to attend, like an auto mechanics course, or parents helping in the classroom.
Punishing is easy and almost never works.
Ya Haqq!