Many believe that a parent who knowingly allows their child to skip school should be held accountable if they are doing nothing to get their child back into school. That’s when they believe action should be taken against that parent.
Well now in Michigan, a new ordinance in the Ypsilanti Township will make it a misdemeanor for parents to allow their kids to be truant by missing more than ten unexcused days of school. On April 15th, they approved the ordinance allowing parents to be charged and be given notice to appear before a magistrate.
With over 41% of their students from K-Grade 12 having 10 or more unexcused absences, the problem of truancy is considered chronic. Said director of the townships office Mike Radzik:
The goal is not intended to be punitive and the end result and the goal we want to achieve is to get the child back into the classroom and get a solid education so they can be a productive member of the community as an adult.
If a child misses 10 days of school, a Sheriff’s Office liaison to the school and the township’s legal department are notified. The district court is then notified, which sends a letter to the parent of their arraignment. The charge doesn’t immediately affect the parent, as they will be given three to six months to see if the issue is resolved, allowing the charge to be dismissed.
