New truancy laws: right or wrong?After the homeroom home·room n. A school classroom to which a group of pupils of the same grade are required to report each day. Noun 1. homeroom bell rings, 16-year-old Marcus hands his teacher a note. He wants to be excused after second period so he can go to the doctor. His teacher doesn't know that Marcus has forged his mother's signature. Marcus and a few buddies plan to meet for a day without teachers, classes, or homework. Although he's not known as a troublemaker, Marcus doesn't like school and has already missed Five days in the marking period. If Marcus lived in Maryland, Virginia, California, or one of a growing number of other states, he or his parents could be severely punished pun·ish v. pun·ished, pun·ish·ing, pun·ish·es v.tr. 1. To subject to a penalty for an offense, sin, or fault. 2. To inflict a penalty for (an offense). 3. for his skipping school. In Virginia, for example, students who don't attend school regularly can have their drivers' licenses taken away. Parents of school skippers skippers larvae of Piophila casei, the cheese or ham fly. The larvae skip around on the cheese that they inhabit in a quite repulsive way. in Maryland can be fined as much as $500 and be sentenced to as much as 30 days in jail. Although no one questions the importance of going to school and getting a good education, many people say such laws are too tough on young kids. Critics believe the are also unfair because they punish pun·ish v. pun·ished, pun·ish·ing, pun·ish·es v.tr. 1. To subject to a penalty for an offense, sin, or fault. 2. To inflict a penalty for (an offense). 3. parents for kids' actions. Supporters believe the laws effectively curb teenage crime Teenage crime is crime committed by teenagers. Reform schools  This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. and keep kids in school.
A Gateway to Crime "Truancy is ... a gateway to crime," says President Clinton, who recently announced $10 million in grants to fund antitruancy programs in schools. "When young people skip school, they are telling their parents and the community that they need our help," said the president. Opponents, however, object to police detaining possibly innocent children. "We have better use for our police officers than to just pick up idle kids on the street," says school activist Gayle Cloud, of California. Other critics think punishing parents for their kids, wrongdoing wrong·do·er n. One who does wrong, especially morally or ethically. wrong  do is unfair.
What do you think? Are tough laws a fair way of keeping kids in school? Should parents be punished if their children are habitual Regular or customary; usual. A habitual drunkard, for example, is an individual who regularly becomes intoxicated as opposed to a person who drinks infrequently. truants? |
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