Truancy Law?

[Jim O'Bryan]

I have been reading that the Mayor Edward FitzGerald and City Council are looking into more serious truancy laws that hold the parents accountable, and would see the city with a daytime curfew, like those in high crime areas.

However it would seem that Dr. Estrop feels differently.

"It's not a lot of kids missing school," Estrop said. "It's a few kids missing a lot of school."

So if Dr. Estrop is correct, why punish all for a few?


.

[Bill Call]

So if Dr. Estrop is correct, why punish all for a few?
.

If you are not truant you will not be punished. Seems like a sensible idea.

[Grace O'Malley]

Estrop admits there are only a few scofflaws yet he supports the addition of yet another layer of laws. We have truancy laws and he knows who the truants are. Pursue them, not every kid who dares show his face in public between the hours of 8 to 3.

How ridiculous and just like the dog law. Another "make it look like your doing something" act that does not do anything but make Lakewood look like a police state.

[Grace O'Malley]

Right Bill

But there are already truancy rules. Estrop admitted they don't have a real problem, just a FEW problem kids who miss a lot of school. He obviously knows who they are and where they live and who the parents are. Deal with it.

Why should any kid have to worry about being in public during certain hours? There are many reasons why kids may be out and I don't appreciate the thought of one of my kids being able to be questioned by the POLICE for the (gasp) crime of being in public during daylight hours.

What normal activities will they try to outlaw next?

[Stephen Eisel]

I have been reading that the Mayor Edward FitzGerald and City Council are looking into more serious truancy laws that hold the parents accountable, and would see the city with a daytime curfew, like those in high crime areas.

I like the fact that this administration is very proactive. They see problems and look for solutions.

[Grace O'Malley]

We ALREADY have a Truancy law. You can find all the info you need on the requirements of the law, the role of the parent, the school, and the legal system:

http://www.ohiobar.org/pub/lycu/index.asp?articleid=282


Perhaps Dr. Estrop should review the law on truancy.

[Grace O'Malley]

Since there is no edit, let me add that perhaps Estrop and the Mayor, a legal professional, should review the above Ohio Bar information site.

[Jim O'Bryan]

I have been reading that the Mayor Edward FitzGerald and City Council are looking into more serious truancy laws that hold the parents accountable, and would see the city with a daytime curfew, like those in high crime areas.

I like the fact that this administration is very proactive. They see problems and look for solutions.

Stephen

I think we all appreciate that the mayor is pro-active. But Grace raises some real thoughts. we already have the law, that is not being enforced I guess. Does anyone know the real number for number of students found truant?

Another law, that merely restates what is already on the book, seems like a time waster to me.

I mean even Dr. Estrop underlines, that it is to punish a few.

.

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

If I remember correctly, they had some pretty serious truancy laws when I was in high school....because I did everything I could to avoid reaching the "truant" level.

But I know of a few kids that went through elementary or middle school with me that ended up disappearing for half of the school day once they reached high school. One classmate would only show up for our freshman science class to have water balloon fights with the rest of the class, and when we ran out of water balloons, he'd go home.

[Ed FitzGerald]

We don't have a local truancy law. There is a state law which gives schools the authority to take a child to juvenile court if they are chronically truant. Anyone who has dealt with our juvenile court knows this is hardly an efficient method of dealing with the problem.

Dr. Estrop and I agree on this legislation, because it gives our police the authority to enforce a local ordinance, tailored to our situation, when they see a child who should be in school. There are a few chronic truants, some live in Lakewood, some don't. Our local police should have a local, enforceable ordinance to enforce truancy regulations when these kids are skipping school and frequently hanging out in our parks and on our streets.

No child gets punished who isn't truant. If a child has a legitimate reason not to be in school, they won't be affected. As for parents, it will be enforced with the same discretion with which we have enforced the night curfew- against repeat offenders who are not being responsible, and are doing a disservice to both their parents and the community. A parent whose child plays hooky one day won't be cited, and neither will a parent who is working with the schools or juvenile court because their child is out of control. This law will impact chronic truants, and parents who aren't taking steps to deal with the problem, and that's it.

As cited in today's Plain Dealer, the U.S Conference of Mayors has documented the effectiveness of this type of legislation. But as important as the proposed law is the personnel to enforce it. The Lakewood Schools are hiring a new attendance officer position to be more aggressive on ensuring that Lakewood children are attending class, and that those attending are actually Lakewood residents. Meanwhile, the city may reach over 100 police officers next year, up from under 90 last year, so we hope to increase our enforcement efforts across the board.

By the way, this isn't the only effort we're making in the area of juvenile delinquency. Channel 5, WEWS, is doing a special report soon on a new program we initiated with Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court. Lakewood juveniles sentenced to community service for non-violent offenses by Juvenile Court are now being referred to our Public Works Department. We're putting them to work picking up trash on Detroit and Madison Avenues, and cleaning municipal parking lots. It is appropriate that these juveniles perform some community service for the community they live in. I hope it's another example proactive public policy in Lakewood.

[Jim O'Bryan]

it gives our police the authority to enforce a local ordinance, tailored to our situation, when they see a child who should be in school. There are a few chronic truants, some live in Lakewood, some don't. Our local police should have a local, enforceable ordinance to enforce truancy regulations when these kids are skipping school and frequently hanging out in our parks and on our streets.

No child gets punished who isn't truant. If a child has a legitimate reason not to be in school, they won't be affected. As for parents, it will be enforced with the same discretion with which we have enforced the night curfew- against repeat offenders who are not being responsible, and are doing a disservice to both their parents and the community. A parent whose child plays hooky one day won't be cited, and neither will a parent who is working with the schools or juvenile court because their child is out of control. This law will impact chronic truants, and parents who aren't taking steps to deal with the problem, and that's it.

Mayor FitzGerald

As always thank you for the input.

I found it odd that in one way Dr. Estrop seemed to be in favor, but then his quote made no sense at all.

Go figure.

Thanks again.


.

[Grace O'Malley]

Jeez, this is the dog law redux.

The city needs a TOOL to keep certain people off the streets.

Daytime curfews DO NOT reduce truancy. Read the latest study here:

http://www.memphiscrime.org/research/st ... curfew.pdf

Excerpt:

Overall, the proposed daytime juvenile curfew highlights the community’s desire to address
truancy, but like the national literature also states, a one dimensional approach to the problem
of truancy will not produce the desired effect of either keeping youth in school or preventing
them from offending.

[Ed FitzGerald]

Jim-

His quote makes sense to me. He's saying that we have a few chronic truants, not mass numbers of kids skipping out. This law would help us deal with those truants he is referring to- repeat offenders who, coincidentally or not, tend to have alot of interaction with the police department.

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

Nothing says "we want you in school! we'll treat you with respect here!" like saying if you don't come you will be thrown in jail. Jail was what they threatened us with in our daily planners. If you're 18 you're eligible for prosecution for truancy...under the law they have now.

Way to dangle the carrot...

PS:
I love how every time a subject about the schools comes up on the Deck, we have adults who graduated from LHS in the 60's, 70's and 80's...ok maybe even the 90's posting about how life is like in high school in the new millennium.

Yeah you might have put ten kids through LHS in the last eight years, but I'm sure your kids didn't tell you the time they passed their final or OGT because they found a classmate who has ADD and will sell his or her Adderall pills to them for three bucks. And I'm positive they don't tell you that this trick works even better in college when you're cramming for a final.

Where are the LHS kids at? Jacob, Thealexa, Julianne, anyone? I mean, I'm not making this stuff up. If you want an opinion on how to implement a law in high school, why not ask the student body? Are you (the administration) afraid to find out what they have to say?

Is the administration trying to avoid another Marty incident or hoodie issue? Do we want to muzzle the students just like we muzzle our pit bulls?

Here's my vote to bring back the Walk Lakewood thread that Mr. Wheeler, Mrs. Meinke and Jim underwrote. Also, if we can get the LHS Times to post articles online, whether it be on the forum or wherever, that would be a great way for everyone in the community to keep in touch with what's going on inside the building. It's a world/society in itself.

[Grace O'Malley]

"We have a few chronic truants"

So deal with them! What's the problem? State law allows you not only to take the child, but the parents to court. The parents can be fined $500, as well.

You need yet another law to handle the "problem?"

And Ivor, that's one thing you'll learn. The older you get, the less accurate your memory. No one seems to remember their high school years. Maybe a bit foggy from the smoky haze, eh?