By Judge Steve Walker
Over a year and a half ago when “Ask the Judge” became a weekly Sunday column in La Prensa, it was pointed out that the number one docket in a Justice of the Peace Court is the docket that addresses continual problems of truancy.
The student drop out rate continues to skyrocket and will continue to escalate especially due to the uncertainty of the second round of proposed cuts in education by the legislature in the next legislative session.
We pointed out back then that the truancy rate is due to a number of mitigating factors that include but not exclusive, to bored and unchallenged students, gang participation, family crisis, domestic violence, students forced to work to help support their families, unexpected pregnancies, lack of day care for those teenage girls who have babies, homelessness and students and families who do not value or see the need for education.
It was also noted that there are limited alternatives to attending a public school to include home schooling, private school, and obtaining a GED.
For those students who are cited by the school districts that our precinct covers, we have numerous remedies to encourage and court order those truant offenders back to the classroom.
Since last legislative session, HB350 was passed to allow me as a Judge to substitute hours of tutoring in lieu of community service which I have done so diligently. It works especially since the bored students who normally receive better grades when they attend school, can also administer the tutoring to fellow students instead of attending the tutoring themselves. They pick the subject.
One other alternative for students missing school that I implemented since taking the bench, (retired teacher) was to mandate that they obtain a public library card at any branch library (at no cost) and write a two sided book report on a book they checked out from the public library. The program has proved successful.
Numerous students that come before me in truancy court have never stepped foot in a public library until I mandated them to do so.
School Districts that currently send us student offenders are Northeast, San Antonio , Edgewood, Southwest Prep, Medina Valley , San Antonio Technology and Premier High School .
The law dictates that all students who have not reached the age of 18 must attend school on a daily basis until they have earned a high school diploma or obtained a GED.
We cite parents for contributing to the failure of their children as well and hold them partially responsible for the truancy. We may fine them, mandate them to sit in class with the students during the day, sign them in to class, and more.
With schools gearing up to open their doors soon, it is time to encourage or court order the students to complete their education and either walk the stage with a high school diploma or obtain the GED.
Lastly as always, 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.
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