Why is it that in some states the parents will get arrested for a child's excessive truancy and in other?

Question

states it's the truant teenager who gets arrested?

I'm from South Dakota and it is usually the teenager who gets arrested. The only time the parents are in trouble legally is if the child is younger or if a teen is forced to stay home to care for younger siblings. Most of the time the truant is an older kid who just doesn't want to go to school.

Why is it that in some states the kid never gets charged but just the parent gets arrested? Which is more effective in lowering truancy rates....Sending the kid to Juvenile Detention or sending a parent to jail?

Answer 1

Here the parents get a fine and the child (if age 13 and above) goes to JDC if found guilty.  I was almost sent away when i was younger because i had severe anxiety and would get so sick i missed a lot of school but my family Dr actually spoke up for me to the truancy office and they worked out a homeschooling option and councling through the schools so I managed to graduate but not all schools are helpful and understanding, i was just a good kid with bad circumstances.  My uncle did go to jail for 3 days though for his sons actions and his son spent 4 wks in JDC.  Atleast in JDC (here anyways) they are required to attend classes at JDC just like they would normally at school so they aren't missing out on education but some kids just simply don't care.  I think that in some cases it is necessary for parents to get arrested to but sometimes the parents just are at a loss on what to do.  I know my stepbrother was horrible and would skip school and get busted with drugs on school grounds and they were going to come after my stepdad but the councler told the courts that my stepdad was doing everything he could and shouldn't be charged as he was doing all the courts had asked.

Answer 2

Well let's see what the law should be. Who is responsible for skipping school? Did the parent skip school? Well I guess the teen should go to jail then. We all live with the choices we make and why should a parent who thinks their child is in school, but they are really skipping, go to jail. I think the only way any child is going to learn is by making them take responsiblity for their own actions. However, if the parent is the one who tells the child day after day they don't have to go to school or they don't want the child to go to school then it is the parent who needs to take responsiblity. Each case should be looked into, because I do know of some parents who leave for work early and the kids are the ones who have to get up and take care of their siblings and the parents expect the older child to stay home and watch the younger children.

Answer 3

Its more effective to send the kid....some parents don't have controll over their children

Answer 4

When they arrest parents the law is unfair. I had trouble with my sons going to school. There was nothing I could do. I never went to jail but was threatened by the school. Childrten like this should be sent off where they will mind. They shouldn't have a choice in the matter at all.

Answer 5

Because some states have political members with different opinions. I'm in Tennessee, if you miss 10 days of school in 1 year (no doctor clearance), then the parents got to jail for 11 months and 29 days!! In just a couple years of the law being in effect, truancy is almost unheard of here. The parents finally were held accountable. Just like they should have been all along. In Tennessee, you can't get a drivers license untill 18 if you aren't in school, or aren't getting at least B grades. Anything below a B (c, d, f), you don't get your drivers license! It's awesome! I love it. Only the losser parents/teens dissagree with the laws. Us decent parents with decent kids, don't have a problem with the state forcing responsibility! I wish they had more laws and were a bit harsher on all levels of parenting.