New bill could punish parents for student truancy

Bloomington resident Cliff Bakehorn laughed as he recounted how many times he skipped classes when he was a student at Bloomington High School North.

But it was no longer funny when he realized his parents could have been sent to jail for his truancies under a new law in the Indiana General Assembly.

House Bill 1101 could make it unlawful for parents to fail to notify their child’s school in the case of an absence.

Bakehorn never informed his parents that he was going to skip class, so his parents did not have the chance to notify the school.

“I was not a perfect child by any means, but I think I would have avoided skipping if it meant that my parents would be responsible,” Bakehorn said. “Parents shouldn’t have to be responsible for kids at a certain age, and when I was skipping school, it was at that age.”

However, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Tony Bennett said the proposed law would likely ensure parents would be more responsible in making sure their children are attending school.

“Anytime we use the word ‘accountability’ in education, we often hear the argument, what are you doing to hold families accountable?” Bennett said during a press conference.

The bill, which would amend the Indiana Code concerning education, was referred to the House Committee on Education for its first reading.

If passed, the bill would require parents to report the absence before the school day begins. It would also require that they report by telephone or in person for each day the child is absent.

If a parent fails to report the absence, a violation is issued to the parent by the superintendent.

In the instance of multiple violations, the case would then be referred to a prosecutor.
Indianapolis resident and single mother Michelle Bachmann said she feels the bill targets her.

Bachmann has had trouble in the past in making sure her children stay at school all day. She said anytime she found out they were trying to cut classes, she made sure to discipline them.

“My kids hated going to high school every day to sit in study hall or classes they hated, but I tried to make them,” Bachmann said. “But after they are out the door, I have to trust that they’ll end up where they need to be so I can get myself to work in time.”