Page 6 - Empowering Teens - Drug Free - 2014

6 DRUG FREE 2014
Truancy reduction efforts keep

more kids in school

By BEVERLY CORBELL, Pamplin Media Group

Parent and educators all worry The Oregon statute dealing with

about high school students school truancy, ORS 339.030, states
taking drugs, but there’s one that all children between the ages of
place where they’re least likely to: 7 and 18 who have not completed the

when they’re in the classroom.
12th grade must attend public school.
That was one of the reasons that East Exceptions include children who are
County high schools launched the home schooled, attend a private

Attendance Initiative in the fall of school or have obtained their GED.
2012 — to reduce truancy and keep Failure to comply in East County
kids in school.
could result in ines of up to $160 for

Cathy Sherrick, former project the parent, according to Lorena
manager for the Greater Gresham Campbell, inter-governmental liaison
Area Prevention Partnership for East County school districts. The

(GGAPP), was instrumental in child is not penalized, she said, but
crafting the Attendance Initiative, support services are available and
and said she believes the results are recommended.
K
positive. The grant which funded But landing in truancy court is not R
GGAPP has since run out.
automatic, and schools go through a LA
“We know when kids are in school process before a parents are ordered C
IM
they are less likely to engage in high- to go to court. Campbell said the J
risk behavior,” Sherrick said.
“truancy marker,” by state statute, is TO:
Drug use is a problem for East if a child misses eight half days of O
PH
County schools, as relected in the school or four full days within a K
state’s extensive Student Wellness 30-day period.
OO
Survey, in which Oregon students If all else fails, their parents are TL
U
from the eighth through the 11th called into the East County Truancy O
grades answer questions Court, which meets at night once a
anonymously on a wide range of month to make it easier on parents,

topics, including drug use. The results Campbell said, and was established
showed that in 2012, 30 percent of in 2012 as part of the Attendance We Challenge You to Be Tobacco,
Oregon students reported they had Initiative.

taken drugs within the previous 30 Schools have latitude in how they Drug & Alcohol Free!
days, which Sherrick says is “a pretty will set up truancy prevention
big number.”
programs, but ultimately, the goal is

Sherrick said she discussed “to keep the kiddoes in school, not
combating student drug use with the ind a way to be punitive,” Campbell
attendance manager at Gresham said. “It’s their (parents’)

High School, who suggested using responsibility to have minor children
the state truancy law to hold parents in school. We’re not citing kids.”
accountable for their child’s

attendance.
First, parents get a letter about
absences

Parents can be fined $160 for
children missing school
Aki Mori, assistant principal at
Gresham High School, said that

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