COMMUNITY COMMENTARY:Curfew is one of many tools

“No one cared.”

“No one worried.”

“No one asked.”

Those are the three top answers to the Newport-Mesa Unified School District question, “Why did you cut school?”

The district’s Safe Schools Healthy Students initiative Project ASK (Advocates Supporting Kids) and the Costa Mesa Police Department are caring, worrying and asking why kids are cutting school.

We are not asking to be punitive or to harass; we are asking because school attendance is a right, an entitlement, a pathway to the future, and California law. A daytime curfew is simply one more tool to help our community and to help kids.

California Education Code section 48200 subjects anyone between the ages of 6 and 18 years old to compulsory education. The code further makes parents culpable if their children fail to conform to this requirement and establishes methods and practices to hold both parents and children accountable.

There is a substantial body of research that suggests a student’s school absenteeism often leads to other problems, such as academic failure, school dropout, delinquency and criminal behavior. Truancy is seen as the first indicator or sign to parents and the community of potential trouble for youth. Research also suggests that the solution to this problem cannot be solely the responsibility of the school system but that it requires a community-wide response.

The “model” daytime curfew ordinance implemented in Monrovia makes truancy an offense for which a citation can be issued and a fine or community service attached. In practice, when police officers contact truants, they issue a citation for the municipal code violation and return the juvenile to their parents or to school. The student must appear in traffic court with their parent and pay the fine or take the court-approved diversion program.

The data show that a daytime curfew ordinance is extremely beneficial in both reduction of truancy and crime. The threat of a truancy citation accompanied by an immediate threat of a fine appears to have a far greater effect on truancy than the traditional methods of law enforcement. Within three years of implementation, Monrovia data showed the reduction in truancy and daytime crime that you see in the table.

If our community collectively cares, worries and asks kids why they are not in school, maybe kids will get the message that staying in school is the right thing to do.

Help us help kids. It is the right thing to do.

Reduction in daytime crimes in Monrovia over three yearsCrime Percent Truancy39 Crime during school hours29Residential burglary32Bicycle theft94Vehicle burglary59Disturbances down30Petty theft down16Grand theft auto46Source: Monrovia Police Department

is Newport-Mesa Unified School District’s director of outreach and advocacy.