Dear Editor,
The article,
”
A Watchful Eye on Truants
”
was very much appreciated because it raises the awareness in the
community about the importance of going to school.
Dear Editor,
The article, “A Watchful Eye on Truants” was very much appreciated because it raises the awareness in the community about the importance of going to school. However, there was a misleading statement. Paraphrased, the article stated that it was rare for school districts to prosecute parents and students for truancy. The year before last, Gilroy Unified referred 32 families to the District Attorney’s office for prosecution. Last year, 47 families were prosecuted. This year we anticipate referring approximately 200 families.
This does not mean that we are experiencing a higher truancy rate. We are simply doing a better job of identifying students in order to get them back on track sooner. It is unfortunate that we have to use the legal system to get parents to keep their children in school and that older students do not see the value of attending regularly.
The use of mediations, during which the District Attorney speaks directly with parents and students and the hearings of the School Attendance Review Boards, are attempts to assist families and keep them out of the court system. The SARB’s, incidentally, are not governed by the district administration but are rather objective legislative bodies, comprised, primarily, of community agency representatives.
Frank Valadez, District Attendance Officer
Gilroy Unified School District
