"Ask the Judge" column continues in La Prensa, 6-3

Ask the Judge: Recap of truancy docket
By Judge Steve Walker

Now that school is officially out, let’s recap what has transpired this past school year regarding my truancy docket.

Last year the Texas legislature passed a law (HB350) allowing me as the Judge, to substitute tutoring instead of community service. As a retired school teacher, that makes so much more sense to me than having students picking up trash and the like.

When a student returns to school and is required to sign up for 8 hours or more of tutoring they benefit greatly. It affords the student the opportunity to improve and bring up their grades, which will in turn give them the credits they need to walk the stage with a diploma.

Occasionally a good student stands before me for skipping school. It turns out they have passed all their required tests and have turned in their work, but are simply bored with school and fail to show up to class. It is not unusual for an A-B student to come to court with excessive unexcused absences.

For those students who skip classes but are good students, I require they go back to school and sign up to tutor other students who may need their help. Obviously they pick the subject they feel comfortable tutoring to a fellow classmate.

Technically peer tutoring is considered community service. In this case it is meaningful community service. Many of those particular students, who come to court, enthusiastically embrace the opportunity to help a fellow student. It makes them feel important and productive. Since they are under teacher supervision while doing it, it has proved to be a successful alternative.

In my court as the Teacher Judge, I also require students to obtain a public library card from the downtown Public Library or any branch library closest to their home. With that card they must check out a book and bring me a two-sided book report on the book they read.

Since they are required to write book reports in school, it is not much of a stretch for them to compose one for me. (Former English/Reading Teacher)

As Judge I believe in making the mandates meaningful rather than simply assessing community service. Of course I mandate probation, court cost, possible counseling classes such as “goal setting,” “decision making” and even “anger management.”

In some cases I prevent the student from obtaining a driver’s license as an incentive for the student to return to school or if they already have one, I revoke their driver’s license until they complete their probation.

On occasion I sometimes court order the student to enroll in a GED class. Usually the parent and student request the GED when they have earned so few credits and they are 17 years old.

Lastly as always, if you are due in court, be sure to show up to court on time. It is in everyone’s best interest.

Justice of the Peace, Pct. 2 Steve Walker is a Vietnam Veteran and a former Journalist.