Program would order parents to get kids to school

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. – Alarmed by the frequency of suspensions handed out to truant students, a judge has proposed a plan to give schools’ attendance agreements with parents the force of law.

The plan put forward by Lake Superior Court Judge Calvin Hawkins calls for school districts to enter into agreements with parents for children to attend school. The agreements would then become court orders, under which parents who violate them risk being jailed in contempt of court.

“If we are not serious about this issue, we are creating an environment for domestic terrorism,” Hawkins said. “It’ll be worse than 9/11. It’s right here in our front yards and backyards.”

Hawkins recently hosted a meeting to talk about the proposed program, called “It’s Cool to Stay in School.” Officials attended from eight school districts, including Gary, Hammond, East Chicago, Merrillville and Lake Station.

Hawkins said his plan could encourage parents to take an active role in getting their children to school.

“We’re not trying to create another layer of criminality,” he said. “If there is a problem of absenteeism, we can nip that hopefully in the bud by focusing on parents.”
The program’s success, however, depends on school districts’ support.

“This won’t work unless the school plugs in,” he said. “The responsibility is for them to say they will use the court. ... If they don’t do it, the program falls flat.”

And even without an agreement, prosecutors can charge the parents of truant children with a little-used misdemeanor charge of failure to send a child to school. Since 2001, only four people in Lake County have been charged with that, court records show.

Theresa Mayerick, director of secondary curriculum and instruction for the Hammond school district, said she believes working with other agencies is the key to curbing truancy.

“If we are all working together, we can get a lot more done than if we all work in isolation,” Mayerick said. “We want to educate kids. It’s hard to educate them if they are not in school.”

About 1,460 truancy referrals have been filed county wide in Lake County Juvenile Court since the 2005-06 school year, court records show. More than one-third of those came from Hammond, followed by Gary and East Chicago, The Times of Munster reported, citing school records.

Lake County Juvenile Court Judge Mary Beth Bonaventura said she believes truancy can lead to criminal behavior.

“After 26 years of doing this, I know this now more than ever before: Solving truancy problems is going to take the entire community,” Bonaventura said. “I am excited about (Hawkins’) interest and commitment and ability to rally the troops.”
Other judges, attorneys and officials have offered to help, Hawkins said.