Clinton to Visit Monrovia to Highlight Anti-Truancy Plan
President Clinton will visit Monrovia on Monday to praise its innovative truancy law, the first of its kind in the country and a model for other cities, officials said.
During his visit to Monrovia High School, Clinton is expected to highlight the truancy program, his support for the school district’s uniform policy and the city’s nationally recognized community policing.
“Monrovia is a bellwether city, “ said Mayor Robert Bartlett. “We want to be a model for the nation.”
Clinton is expected to attend a private reception Monday morning and then make a speech about 4 p.m. at the high school during an event open to the public, but for which all the tickets have been issued.
Monrovia’s truancy ordinance, passed in 1994, allows police to ticket unsupervised youths ages 12 to 17 who are not in school between 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The students must appear in Juvenile Traffic Court with a parent or guardian.
Failure to appear can result in an arrest warrant being issued and suspension of a driver’s license. Those found guilty face a $135 fine or 27 hours of community service. Similar laws have been passed by cities including Los Angeles and Pasadena.
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