PLATFORM : Ticketing: ‘One More Tool’ to Combat Truancy

Since September, Monrovia police officers have had the authority to ticket truant minors. To date, 62 offenders have faced penalties of $135 fines or 27 hours of community service. Noncompliance can result in suspension of drivers’ licenses or postponement of license eligibility until age 18. A similar measure has been proposed for the city of Los Angeles. JAMES BLAIR talked to civic and school officials and students about this approach to dealing with truancy.

LAURA CHICK

L.A. City Council member (West San Fernando Valley). Sponsor of a proposed Los Angeles city anti-truancy ordinance based on the Monrovia model

Scientific research shows direct links between truancy and the high school dropout rate and direct links between the dropout rate and criminal activity. If we can reduce truancy, we increase the number of students graduating high school. Graduates have a much better chance of getting a job and not turning to crime.

(This proposal) is doable. It’s legal. It’s easily enforced. It brings quickly to bear on truant students consequences of their acts (and relays the) message that one of their major responsibilities in life is to attend school. If kids think nothing happens to them when they ditch school, lots of students will say, “What’s the problem here? Nobody cares.” We need to show them we care.

PAUL JONES

Manager, community mobilization component, Community Youth Gang Services, Los Angeles County

I’m not really sure that something of this nature would work on a mass scale. What we do often is approach the problem from the wrong end. We’re talking about truancy here, and what we need to be looking at is why kids are ditching school, why kids would rather be in the street or at a friend’s house than in school.

It’s been my experience, after talking with a lot of young people, that they feel they’re not taught anything (relevant to their lives) in school.

Maybe an approach we need to take is re-examining how students are being taught and the curriculum they’re being taught. Maybe if we were to look at that area, then we might be able to (do) something productive for the kids.

DAN GUERRERO

Counselor, Monrovia High School

This ordinance affords us one more tool in helping combat truancy. I always mention the law when counseling students and during parent conferences. Parents are very supportive of it. Sometimes they are not aware of what’s going on out in the street when a student is not in school. So it’s not only a measure to help fight truancy, it’s also for the student’s safety.

The first time one of our students was busted under this law, word spread very quickly on campus. I could tell that it was something that was going to be effective. It’s a little too soon to assess (the effects) but certainly, when fully enforced, it will have an impact.

ED ZSCHOCHE

Language arts program coordinator, Gage Middle School, Huntington Park

People need to pay a penalty if they consistently fail to be responsible. As a teacher, I think kids have to understand that the purpose of going to school is to lay a foundation for their future. Failure to come to school results in an incomplete education. Also, when a kid is truant, the school doesn’t get to count that kid and therefore doesn’t receive the funds that help support all children’s education at the school.

Because of efforts to develop economically and provide a decent home, I think parents sometimes lose sight of what the kid is doing. I’ve seen a lot of situations where parents are completely unaware of (their children’s) behavior. If my kid came home with a citation, that might help me recognize a problem I may have failed to observe.

PHOEBE TERRILL

17, senior, Monrovia High School

When we first heard about it, most of the students were pretty upset. There were police officers all around the school and any time students (tried to leave), there was a police car driving down the street. Now students are getting more used to it.

I don’t know if ditching has cut down, but I think (the law is) a good idea because ditching was such a problem--not just the loners or the bad kids. It made all students aware that this is a (big) problem and that the city and the school are finally willing to do something about it.

NATALIE ADAMS

18, senior, Monrovia High

I think the ordinance is great. It not only makes students aware, but also involves responsibility because of the monetary fine. If you get ticketed for ditching, your parents are more apt to keep you in school and push you to stay in school. Most of the students don’t like the law, but it’s for their own good because without an education you really have nothing.