Arrests made for truancy

MANAGING EDITOR

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Two Portales parents have been arrested in the last month for not sending their children to school.

A 35-year-old man was arrested on Feb. 24, and a 30-year-old woman was arrested on Tuesday, with both being released the day of their arrests on $1,000 bonds.

Neither parent could be reached for comment.

According to school officials, one of the parents had a junior high and a high school student who had too many unexcused absences from school while the other parent had an elementary school child at James Elementary with too many unexcused absences.

Portales High School Assistant Principal Arturo Ontiveros said the state statute that penalizes parents and students for too many unexcused absences from school has been in place for many years, but it has not been heavily enforced until recently.

“This is the first year I’ve ever heard of anyone being arrested (for the alleged offense),” Ontiveros said. “This has been way helpful, because word-of-mouth spreads quickly. Once those kids are mandated by law to go to CYFD (Children Youth and Families Department) to have a conversation, that word spreads quick.”

Ontiveros said he is receiving phone calls from concerned parents whose teenagers have absences, and teens who have had to go to CYFD with their parents are telling other students about it.

“It really had a quick impact,” Ontiveros said. “We just needed some support from somebody who has a little more authority than we do. This is definitely a step in the right direction.”

Ontiveros said when students get to five days of unexcused absences (for the school year), or the equivalent of that, school officials discuss the problem with students and their parents as well as send a formal letter to the parents.

He said after 10 absences, schools send another letter to the parents as well as to CYFD, Juvenile Probation Office and the district attorney’s office.

After that, if there is no response, an arrest will be made, or the parents and students will have to go to a meeting with officials at CYFD.

Portales Police Department Detective Charlie Smart said the police department was doing its job by arresting the parents for breaking the law, but the department also agrees with the law that has been set forth.

“We’re bound by law, but as an agency, (our mindset is) if they’re in school, it can clear up other issues of kids getting into mischief when they’re out on the streets and not in school,” Smart said. “We are certainly still there for the parents in any way we can assist them within our legal boundaries.

(But) it’s the parents responsibility to see that their kids get to school and stay in school.”

Smart said the problem of children and youth missing too much school or high school students dropping out is not just a Portales problem; it’s a state-wide problem.

He said the police department works in conjunction with the schools on the issue, along with CYFD, the DA and JPO.

Portales schools Superintendent Johnnie Cain said the DA’s office and the JPO approached he and other Portales school officials before the school year began to ask how they could help improve the issue of children being out of school.

Cain said school officials expressed that law enforcement following through with the state’s Compulsory School Attendance law would be a good way to start.

“We all know if kids aren’t in school, they’re not learning, and it’s important that they do so,” Cain said. “In today’s world, you need that diploma; you really do. A lot of places want you to have a diploma to go to work. It’s probably more important than it was 20 years ago. We want every kid to have that opportunity, but they need to be here to get that information to pass and get a diploma.”

Cain said PHS even offers night school to students as another option to students to help them out. He added that the night school program includes about 50 students.

“We’re doing everything we can to try to help these kids that aren’t in school to be able to get a diploma,” Cain said. “We’re ready and willing to work with them, but they have to work with us as well.”

According to the state law, parents may have to pay a fine of $25 to $100 as well as report to CYFD and the JPO.

High school students who violate the law could face having their driver’s license temporarily revoked.