County Attorney Charges Parents in Truancy Cases

The Jefferson County Attorney’s Office has brought charges against the parents of 39 elementary students who were habitually truant during the last school year.County Attorney Mike O’Connell says the school system usually works with children who have too many unexcused absences, and has a high success rate.But, he says, there are some elementary-aged students whose attendance does not improve.“When these kids aren’t getting to school, it’s clearly because a parent has some involvement directly, by acts of either omission or commission that are contributing to this problem," says O'Connell.If found guilty, parents could face a maximum penalty of up to one year in jail and/or a $500 fine. One student in question missed 52 days during the 175-day academic year.