San Antonio-- A teen charged with truancy from school approaches the bench of Justice of the Peace Steve Walker's courtroom with loved ones and is faced with a question from Walker.
Watch Brian Mylar's Report
"What do you want to do," Walker asked. "Do you want to go back to school?"
Walker was a teacher before being elected justice of the peace and said truancy cases take him back to his roots in the classroom.
He said he cares for kids and knows how to reach them and get them back into the classroom.
"That's why I got here," Walker said. "I came for kids, not for evictions and small claims. I came for kids."
But truancy cases are fewer in his courtroom because Northside ISD and San Antonio ISD are now taking many to municipal court.
Walker said it may be faster for the districts to adjudicate the cases in municipal court, but that he knows kids better.
He even uses book reports as a teaching tool for some truants. And he said the districts just want to take in more money in fines.
"I'm an old school teacher so don't tell me about this," Walker said. "This is about money."
But Northside ISD said this judicial turf dispute simply boils down to who can do the job.
The district said municipal court can devote a judge to nothing but truancy cases.
"Justice Walker's allegations are without merit and he knows better than that," said Pascual Gonzalez, spokesman for NISD.
Northside said keeping kids in class is a priority and municipal court can do it better and that they too have special programs to help kids, such as life coaches who keep kids on the right path.
Not only that, Northside said there were 2,400 truancy cases stalled in Walker's court in May.
"We pulled the caseload out of his court because he couldn't handle it," Gonzalez said.
SAISD agrees any delay hurts the kids.
"The goal is to have cases heard right away and let's get the students back into the school," said Leslie Price, SAISD spokeswoman.
Both sides agree, however, that more students should see classrooms and not courtrooms.Copyright 2010 by KSAT.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Watch Brian Mylar's Report
"What do you want to do," Walker asked. "Do you want to go back to school?"
Walker was a teacher before being elected justice of the peace and said truancy cases take him back to his roots in the classroom.
He said he cares for kids and knows how to reach them and get them back into the classroom.
"That's why I got here," Walker said. "I came for kids, not for evictions and small claims. I came for kids."
But truancy cases are fewer in his courtroom because Northside ISD and San Antonio ISD are now taking many to municipal court.
Walker said it may be faster for the districts to adjudicate the cases in municipal court, but that he knows kids better.
He even uses book reports as a teaching tool for some truants. And he said the districts just want to take in more money in fines.
"I'm an old school teacher so don't tell me about this," Walker said. "This is about money."
But Northside ISD said this judicial turf dispute simply boils down to who can do the job.
The district said municipal court can devote a judge to nothing but truancy cases.
"Justice Walker's allegations are without merit and he knows better than that," said Pascual Gonzalez, spokesman for NISD.
Northside said keeping kids in class is a priority and municipal court can do it better and that they too have special programs to help kids, such as life coaches who keep kids on the right path.
Not only that, Northside said there were 2,400 truancy cases stalled in Walker's court in May.
"We pulled the caseload out of his court because he couldn't handle it," Gonzalez said.
SAISD agrees any delay hurts the kids.
"The goal is to have cases heard right away and let's get the students back into the school," said Leslie Price, SAISD spokeswoman.
Both sides agree, however, that more students should see classrooms and not courtrooms.Copyright 2010 by KSAT.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Editor's Note: This story aired on KSAT-12, Wednesday @ 10 p.m. featuring Justice of the Peace, Pct. 2 Steve Walker who is a retired teacher.
http://www.ksat.com/education/25625629/detail.html
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