My first 2 court cases today!!!
 

Good morning all! I have my first 2 court cases this morning and I'm pretty nervous...just gotta get past the first one and I think I'll be okay.

I work at an elementary school and my job is more or less like a truant officer's job. We have 2 kids that have missed too many days so we get to talk about it with the parents in front of a judge. I'll be representing my school and also the school district.

Should've taken a picture of myself this morning. I never dress up this much and even I surprised myself! :p

Anyway, should have a couple of more cases coming up next month...BUT...wish me luck!

Okay...this is my one thread for the day. :D

GO GET EM Miss MATLOCK !! You can do it !

These kids need to know how important it is to stay in school !

Good Luck, I'm sure it will go well for ya, especially if your are so Jazzed up today, how could it not. :thumbup:

Good luck, Kimberley! You'll do a great job, I know it! Good luck!!! :thumbup:

Good Luck!
 

What you are doing is a very important job and I commend you for it. There are way too many kids skipping school and everything that can be done to put a stop to it should be done. Too much going wrong with our young people today and the sad part is that in a lot of these cases, the parents just don't seem to care:( Let us know how it goes!

Suzi

Good Luck today! Let us know how it goes!

I agree there are quite few parents who just don't seem to "care". That said, however, I had a friend whose dd (darling is subjective here) who decided at age 16 that she was NOT going to school. Nothing this mother did worked. She could not physically pick her up and take her. And even if she could've....the child would just leave the premises. Fortunately now that she's older she's made some life (decision making) changes and everything is fine, but I was really at a loss with any advice, because really none of it seemed to work. Punishing this parent wasn't the answer, she wanted her in school as much as the district did. Btw, tossing her out of the house wasn't the answer either....cause YOU can't do that. Had another friend tried that, kid called the police on them....but that's another story.

Good luck in court :) And I'm sure you looked just as snazzy as those tv lawyers ;)

You are absolutely right! There are wonderful parents out there who are literally pulling their hair out over their child's lack of interest in school and wanting to go. When they reach the legal age in their state and no longer want to go, a parent can't make them.

WOW! I am impressed and I bet you are great in this job :D

Can't wait until you fill us in how it went.

It is sad that young people make decision that will effect so much of their future until it is usually to late. :(

Thanks, guys! The sad part is that at the elementary level, it's the parents that are keeping the kids out. So, it's really not the kid's fault.

Just this morning, had a parent that has gotten in trouble before and she's notorious for bringing the kids late. She is here on a Request to Remain on Campus since they've moved out of our attendance zone. Anyway, she brought her kids in late AGAIN but didn't check into the office. I saw her leave with one of her kids...teacher came and talked to me, since their child was late, teacher told kid to get a tardy slip from the office...mom didn't like that response so she left with the child. This child has been here since mid September and has already missed too many days. Looks like we're going to have to revoke her RRC.

Another parent's child has been tardy 47 times, today included. Her court case will be coming up next month.

But yes, at the junior high and high school level, I've seen parents that have no control over their kids. Sure, they drop them off in the morning but then the kids skip, while parents are at work and then parents end up having to go to court. What are you suppose to do with those kids????? :(

What is wrong with these parents?

Our legal age is 18, and the parents are still responsible for "making" them go until then. My friend's daughter was 15 or 16 when she stopped going. Ever wrestle a 4 yr old to dress them....try that when they are the same size as you, then physically carry them and put them in a car. Friend was literally at this point......

Sounds like the first parent doesn't really want to REMAIN. In our district there are a limited number of these spots, quite a few people would jump at the chance to have their out of district kids attend this school and would certainly follow the rules. I think the kids in elementary school with parents like you describe, will certainly not "feel" the need to finish school nor any of the other endeavors later in life. I could tell "horror" stories on the work ethics (or lack of) of teens.

What are the junior high & high school parents supposed to do?
That was essentially my friend's question cause she had run out of answers. If she could've volunteerialy released her to the state, when she was at the end of her rope...I'm certain she would have. It was that bad

Good Luck Kimberly, It is so sad that parents some parents are so appathetic, I think what a child does later in life depends on how they were raised from the get go. Keep up the good work.

Good luck Kimberley. Please fill us in on how it turned out. I know you will do a great job.Don't let the legal process be intimidating...You are the one that is in the right!!Go get 'em. :)

Good Luck Kimberley, with your skills at researching knowledge- you are already a lawyer- you'll do great!! :hug:

I don't have kids, but...
 

Its so hard for me to even imagine behaving like that as a kid!! I have a father who is both German and Military, and a Southern mom. It just wouldn't have been tolerated! :eek:

I find it upsetting how so many blame everything on the schools. If two parents can't handle one child that they are responsible for 24/7 why do they expect one teacher - who has Lord knows how many kids each day - to work miracles in a few hours a day!

You go and fight the good fight, Kimberley!!! Let us know what happens.

My father was neither German nor in the military, but trust me....you did not want the wrath of George. When I think about it now, I'm not even sure WHY my brothers and I were afraid of him. We got spankings, yes, but they weren't beatings. Spankings ended for us around age 10ish or so, then you got restriction....I can remember asking for a spanking so the whole deal would just be over with....instead of two weeks :rolleyes: Not go to school??? Ya gotta be kiddin', in our house, bringing home a poor progress report or anything that said you misbehaved in school was akin to a death sentence :eek:

I think the biggest difference between our generation (I'm 45) and today's kids....the schools are quick to teach the children what you CAN and CAN NOT do as far as discipline. No one is "allowed" to touch you, not the teachers, not the prinicpal, not your parents. So some kids take the attitude of..."what'd ya gonna do about it".....

Good luck to you. I know you'll do fine.

We have a daughter that is a elementary school teacher in NC. She's always had a lot of crack babies, kids from 1 parent families, kids living with grandparents, etc.

Kids just don't know how important it is to stay in school to get an education to make something out of themselves.

Nowadays there are a lot of parents that just don't give any input to teachers. They're either too busy, don't care or on drugs, etc.

I think we need more truant officers in all schools.

Good luck! They need to get them hellyuns in school!

All of our schools have what are called "resource officer's" assigned to their school. They are actual policemen and women.


Speaking as the wife of a former elementary PTA president and now the VP at the middle school....we is really needed is parental INVOLVEMENT. Some are too busy, some don't care, and some flat out just don't want to....how 'bout showing your kid what is important??

LOL the wrath of George!!! All my mother had to do was say she was telling my father to put the fear in us!! :p And it wasn't the teacher I was worried about, either!!

I'm a year older than you, and it sounds like our parents went to the same parenting class! Not such a bad thing, huh?

Omg....the "wait 'til your father gets home" was mom's ulimate threat.

I have yet to run into anyone in our age group, whose parents didn't invoke the same amount of fear. My girlfriend once told me she never, ever stayed out past curfew...cause if she did....her dad would be standing in front of their picture window, hands on hips, with the light reflecting in the back....looking like GOD :)

UPDATe!!!!!
 

Well, mom didn't show up till we were leaving the building so we went back in there to see the judge. We go back on February 14th for a second hearing to see if there has been improvement. If the kids are late once or absent once, mom will be fined $600 dollars plus court costs.

It was a great learning experience. Not bad at all so I'll be even more prepared for the next hearing(s).

I feel bad for mom. She's a single parent of 4 kids. She was taken to court last year for her daughter that had 40-50 absences so this year is a big improvement. Her daughter failed 1st grade last year and her son is failing kindergarten. Hopefully, this will open mom's eyes that her kids need to be in school. Not only is it a state law but for her kid's own sake.

Thanks for the support, guys!

good job Kim, I bet not only did you look gorgeous you went with strength and conviction. People need to be held accountable for their children she deserves what she gets IMHO

I'd say the mom has little respect for authority, jmho. If I were the judge I'd slap her with comtempt for being so late, it bordered on not showing up at all. And since the children are this age it's not their fault they don't go to school....it's hers. I don't feel bad for her at all. I have plenty of single parent friends whose children got up, got dressed, ate breakfast etc and made it to school EVERY day.

Maybe I am naive but I can't believe this is happening at the
elementary level. Seriously, I am shocked! As the parent of
4 children I can't imagine why you wouldn't want them to be
in school?
I had instances with teens testing the waters, but even then
between the school and we as parent's we came up with
solutions to make sure they were in school where they belonged.
My one son was so ingenious that he would call in pretending to
be his Dad with all sorts of excuses. Well, I fixed that fast by
telling the attendence office O.K. we are going to be using a
password from now on if this password is not mentioned on
the call in please notify me at work immediately because it is
an absence that I am not aware of. Fixed that problem pretty
fast!
It's unfortunate that it takes fines to make people realize that
once you decide to have children parenting them is not an option
but a responsibility.

GOOD LUCK girl!

I too feel sorry for the mom even though I don't know all of the circumstances but she sounds like she could use a break and I am glad the judge is giving her another chance. I doubt she can afford a $600 fine...wowzers!!!!

Kimberley, I am just curious, in Texas, how many absences (and in what time period) does a child have to have to be taken to court and possibly fined? How many school days are there where you live? Does the school lose money when a child is absent?

I have four kids, a husband who works hard, a full time job myself, and I am the Secretary for the Middle School Foundation. I also have my daughter in a school outside our zone and because we live so far away we depend on "good" traffic everyday to make it on time. If the traffic is bad it doesn't matter how early you leave you will be late. She was late last friday due to an accident under the freeway overpass and even her teacher was late but it was not excused. Even with an involved husband and a teenager who drives it is hard to get everyone to and from their activities on time everyday. I feel like a full time taxi driver sometimes.

I totally agree with the need for kids to be in school regularly :thumbup: but we are all human and I think humanity has to be part of the puzzle. We should look for solutions to problems and ways to help instead of jumping the gun to punish. I know if I am so sick I cannot drive, and there is no one to take the kids to school, they have had to stay home. I am sure that this mother wants the best for her kids and understands the need for a good education. :(

Kimberley~ I am glad your first case was an easy one for you. Now you know what to expect. :)

Nice job, Kimberley!
 

It's good to have the waters tested now! Next time you won't be nervous at all, hardly! :p

I am happy that you have this job and you take it so seriously. That poor little 7 year old that was beaten to death in NY this past week by her stepfather had been absent 45 days from school. That was the authority's first clue that there was a problem. Unfortunately, their intervention was not very effective. :(

Hang in there, Kimberley! Speak for the CHILDREN! :p

40-50 ABSENCES ? That's a TON :eek: and no wonder her poor daughter failed first grade - she probably has no clue what's going on in her grade Now with this many absences -

I feel bad for the mom too - but her children are really really suffering and that's the worst part - sitting in a class when you are so behind the other kids has to be awful for her emotional well being....same for the son too.

Sorry for this - but it's up to US as parents to make SURE our kids get to school - it's like one of the #1 things we as parents must do... besides feed and clothe them.... and for someone to let this slide so much - she really NEEDED to be taken to court ....hopefully they won't fine her... but it will sure open her eyes that people are paying attention.