Parents arrested in truancy crackdown
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
By RENA HAVNER
Press Register Staff Reporter
Two Mobile County parents were arrested this week on charges of failing to appear at a court hearing where a judge was to hear accusations that they allowed their children to skip school.
Clinton Howard Upshaw, 37, and Barbara Bohannon Upshaw, 30, of Grand Bay were arrested Monday. The two are the first actual arrests stemming from newly elected Juvenile Judge Edmond Naman's effort to crack down on student truancy, according to Mobile County District Attorney John Tyson Jr.
Last month, Naman issued 30 warrants charging parents with not sending their children to school.
Naman, a former prosecutor who was sworn in as judge in January, said he may bring as many as 600 parents to court under those provisions.
(This equates to "We created another government position and now we must arrest someone to justify our existance")
Tyson said the Upshaws' arrests send an important message to the community: "If you're facing a court hearing, you better ought to get there."
(Well now....it's a damn shame that teachers and cops aren't also required to show up in court for a hearing or face arrest.)
After a child has five unexcused school absences, a letter is sent to the parent inviting them to an early warning truancy program sponsored by Tyson's office. Parents who do not show up for the program, offered weekly at downtown's Mobile Government Plaza, are automatically subject to prosecution, Naman has said.
(Ha...an 'invite' but if you decline you get arrested....that sounds more like mafia fire insurance to me)
The Upshaws were being held without bail Tuesday night at the Mobile County Metro Jail, according to the jail log.
(Is this really a 'crime' that deserves to have NO BAIL set? That's just crazy!!)
1 comment:
Why would anyone put their children in the public school system???
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