The Marion City Police Department partnered with the Marion County Juvenile Court and Marion City Schools Tuesday to conduct a blitz on truancy in the city.
The blitz focused on visiting the homes of frequently absent students and educating them and parents or guardians about the need – and legal requirement – for them to be in school.
Police officers and court and school officials gave out letters explaining what could happen if students are truant and inquired as to why students were not in school. School officials reported visits were made to 28 high school students’ homes and 10 middle school students’ homes. Out of the high school visits, they made contact with parents or guardians at 23 homes and brought six students back to school.
Teams made contact with students and parents or guardians at nine out of the 10 middle school students’ homes. One student was returned to school. One student was out of state.
Police arrested one high school student on an unrelated charge.
State law considers truancy as being absent from school without an excuse. It applies to students between 6 and 18. Habitual truancy is when a student misses five or more consecutive days, seven or more days in a school month, or 12 or more days in a school year. Chronic truancy is when a student misses seven or more consecutive days, 10 or more days in a school month, or 15 or more days in a school year.
Truancy challenges educators both locally and across the nation. While there are several factors involved in predicting academic success, whether or not a student is in the classroom is among the most influential.
Locally law enforcement, the legal system and school district are working together to address the issue. Judge Robert Fragale praised the effort, saying the court appreciates being part of “an outstanding partnership” dedicated to keeping children in school.
“We are all on the same page,” he said. “We need to find out why kids are being truant, engage their parents and do what we can to keep them in school. We can’t educate them if they aren’t in school.”
Judge Fragale said a magistrate has been assigned to work with schools. Rather than treat truancy as a delinquency issue, he said there are efforts like mediation focused on finding out why students aren’t in school.
“We are hopefully giving them possible solutions,” he said.
Marion City Schools Superintendent Gary Barber said the objective is to “make sure our students are in class every day.”
“The truancy blitz is one way to make sure students don’t get to the point where it becomes you’ve missed so many days we can’t help you,” Barber said. “We are trying to be proactive. This is a great way to show our community is working together to inspire a community of achievement.”
Marion City Police Chief Bill Collins said the blitz plays a part in making sure students are in school and working towards graduation.
“If they aren’t in school, they are likely out causing mischief and getting into trouble,” he said.
The student’s parent or guardian is ultimately responsible for making sure the student is in school. Both students and parents or guardians may face legal actions if a child is truant. Collins said parents play a big role in making sure their children are in school. As part of the blitz, police will be educating parents about possible legal trouble they can get into if their children are not in school.
Studies show that absenteeism may lower test scores, course grades and the likelihood that a student will graduate on time. Barber said it also prepares them for life after school. Showing up to work on time is part of the soft skills that businesses stress they need potential employees to understand.
Finding the students and getting them into class is only part of the solution. Barber said schools need to take responsibility of engaging students so that they want to be in school. Students must make connections with a caring adult in school and hopefully become engaged in school activities.
“We’ve got to do whatever we can to get kids connected to school,” Barber said.
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