Letter: Make parents pay for children’s truancy

Friday, April 20, 2007 | 7:21 a.m.

Jeff Mank makes an excellent point in his April 17 letter in the Las Vegas Sun concerning truant students. Stop spending money on the children who don't want to learn.

As a teacher, no matter how much I agree with his point, his answer to the problem is not a solution. Denying federal assistance as an adult would result only in them entering a life of crime.

What we need to realize is that children of that age are not mature enough to consistently make responsible choices. That is what their parents are for, to step in and teach them to make the right choices.

They choose to be truant because it's rebellious, they feel cool, and they are not being held responsible at home. Those who are held responsible at home rarely continue to be truant.

This is my solution: If a child is truant for three days of any semester and the parent has been notified each time and nothing has been done, then the parent would be affected financially. This can be done two ways: decreased federal assistance, decreased child income tax credit. If they are not responsible parents, then they should not be entitled to those funds.

Another factor that needs to be addressed is the School District's attendance policy. Allowing 10 unexcused absences per semester is obscene. There should be zero unexcused absences allowed - end of discussion. If the child is absent for a reason, then the parent should be able to provide a note so it may be excused.

Hold parents accountable for holding their children accountable.

Travis Bowker, Las Vegas