Woodland Hills : Chick to Discuss New Anti-Truancy Law

With less than two weeks before a new citywide anti-truancy ordinance will take effect, City Councilwoman Laura Chick will appear at a Woodland Hills school Thursday to discuss the law.

“She’s going to be there to explain what the ordinance is about and to field questions,” said Virginia K. Huntman, president of the Parent Teacher Student Assn. at Francis Parkman Middle School, where Chick will appear at 7 p.m.

The school is located at 20800 Burbank Blvd.

The law, which will be enforced starting Oct. 1, aims to reduce juvenile crime by increasing the penalties for students caught out of school.

Truants cited by police must appear with a parent or guardian before a traffic court judge, with penalties including fines, community service work or suspended driving privileges.

“It’s something that really needs to be addressed in the whole city,” Huntman said.

The City Council passed the ordinance in May but agreed to delay implementation so that the Police Department could notify parents and children and adopt uniform guidelines for its enforcement.

But for Huntman and many parents like her, Oct. 1 will come not a moment too soon.

“There’s too many kids running loose and getting into trouble,” she said.