Mothers charged for failure to comply with truancy laws

CLOVIS — Two Clovis mothers were charged this week with misdemeanor crimes for failure to comply with state truancy laws, according to a news release Tuesday from 9th Judicial District Attorney Andrea Reeb.

One woman is behind bars and another still sought by police.

Both women are charged with violation of the Compulsory School Attendance Law, with state law defining an "habitually truant" student as one with more than 10 unexcused absences in a school year.

A 24-year-old Clovis woman was arrested Monday for allowing her 6-year-old daughter to have 15 days of unexcused absences in addition to 11 days in which the child was late for class, the release said.

An outstanding warrant is also issued for a 39-year-old Clovis woman, who is charged with allowing her 15-year-old son to have 21 unexcused absences, the release said.

In both cases, the mothers were contacted by school and Juvenile Probation Department officers, following which the matter was referred to Reeb's office, officials said.

First conviction for the petty misdemeanor offense is not punishable by jail time, but subsequent offenses can lead to six months in jail or a $500 fine.

Reeb said "a huge percentage of crimes committed in the (district) were committed by high school dropouts" and that her office "will now take a firm stance in prosecuting parents who make no effort to comply with the law in New Mexico which states your child must attend school on a regular basis."