Orange County Kids Not Going to School Can Be an Education for Their Parents

Orange County has stepped up its fight against truancy. Bench warrants were issued for six parents of consistently truant or tardy students in the cities of Orange, Stanton, and San Juan Capistrano. According to the District Attorney’s office the warrants were given to parents that had ignored or failed to address the issue. The head of the Orange Police Department’s Youth Services Bureau, Sgt. Dave Vullo said that parents are offered family counseling, after school programs, or sports groups to keep their children in positive activities when they are out of school. After Parents were given the opportunity to take advantage of the county’s assistance but did not participate, more aggressive action was taken by officials. The county believes that these parents have failed to adequately address the truancy issue and need to understand that they are accountable for their child’s truancy. Those that were arrested where released on their promise to appear and released in order to be home when their kids returned from school. They face $2,500 fines, or up to a year in jail. The county is using this sweep as another part of its effort to keep kids out of gangs. See Education Code 48260 et. Seq.