Students Could Be Arrested for Playing Hooky

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If Ferris Bueller lived in Covington, Kentucky, he'd have a lot more to deal with than just his principal. A new city ordinance, enacted January 2, has police taking school truancy into their own hands. If kids are caught skipping school they could now be arrested on misdemeanor charges. If their parents are complicit in the hooky-playing, they too could be hauled into court. It's all part of a new crackdown led by Ken Kippenbrock, Director of Pupil Personnel for the Covington school district.

"If you have a recurring problem with a student this is the way to get this family in front of the judge," Kippenbrock tells Shine. "We're trying to increase the likelihood that child is going to graduate; we know the cost to society when child drops out."

This week, local police were given a cheat sheet with times when kids should be in school (essentially 8am to 3pm) along with early dismissals, and procedures to follow when encountering a kid outside of school during those hours. If they come across a suspected skipper, officers have the option to bring the child back to school, return them to their parents' home, or if the child isn't allowed back in the school, and their parents can't be reached, booking them.

"Most officers I know are likely to give a warning at first, but if they have a child repeatedly deliberately violating school rules they can use their discretion," says Kippenbrock.

It's an extreme measure for extreme times. Last year, the district, which oversees 4,000 students from kindergarten through twelfth grade, clocked about 13,500 unexcused absences. Because state funding is based on attendance, Kippenbrock says the district lost about $500,000 last year because of the poor record. He hopes that enforcing a city-wide "daytime curfew" will force both kids and parents to take skipping school more seriously.

But can it actually work? "It's hard to know," Jack Jennings, president of the Center on Education Policy, tells Shine. "This approach has been tried at different times and at different parts of the country and it's generally been abandoned, because parents raise a stink and politicians back down."

so....i guess now school is legally mandated? since when was it illegal for a child to not go to school?

although...maybe it's what that little SNIP needs to learn to not skip school?

i think this one could go either way...

you?

reply to post by ICEKOHLD


I don't think that's okay at all. "daytime curfew". I cant believe, so there's a curfew at night and during the day? America, the "greatest" country on earth... pfft.

Here in the UK if you let your child skip school, you can be fined and once or twice people have done time for it.
Unless they are home schooled.
I for one think this is the right thing to do, at least then if you come from a ill-educated family you have a decent chance of education.
Like someone once said EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION.

But arresting the kids? no do the parents.

reply to post by boymonkey74


what if my folks were at work and thought i went? i mean....i did it countless times when i was a teen!

reply to post by ICEKOHLD

Yeah every kid does it once or twice but here if you miss school more than a few times (depends on the school) the school writes to your parents to ask why wasn't little Jonny at school on this day.
I bunked off school in the late 80's for 3 days and when I got home the truant officer was waiting at my house boy I had some explaining to do

I used to skip school all the time when I was younger. I thought I turned out pretty alright.... until I had to start working full time. Going to school every day could have taught me a bit more discipline. Something I struggled with when I needed to survive all on my own without my parents.

But really... I do think that this a tad extreme. The child's parents should be the ONLY ones dealing with this matter. No parent should want to see their child struggle in life. This sort of thing needs to be taught in a positive light, definitely not by threatening kids with possible jail time.

Originally posted by ICEKOHLD
so....i guess now school is legally mandated? since when was it illegal for a child to not go to school?

although...maybe it's what that little SNIP needs to learn to not skip school?

i think this one could go either way...

you?

To answer your question...As long as I've ever known in this country. The school doesn't even have to be accredited but they have to be enrolled in some form of what we call ''education''. At a certain age you can legally drop out with parental signature....18 of course being the age you can sign yourself out.

I agree this could go both ways. Will be interesting to watch for sure. S&F