Here's an op-ed piece from the News Enterprise:
TOPIC: Curbing truancy From News Enterprise
OUR VIEW: Helping parents, students connect to issue
Missing several days of school and several class assignments that may
never get made up can have a huge impact on a student’s academic
performance.
Count Division IV, 9th Circuit Family Court Judge M. Brent Hall is
among those in Kentucky trying to make sure students who have an
absentee issue can get it resolved.
The Truancy Diversion Program’s intent is to catch and identify truancy
issues at a key juncture in the lives of students. Modeled after the
Jefferson County Family Court pilot program, Hall implemented the
program at East Hardin Middle School last school year and is in the
early stages of getting it going at West Hardin Middle School.
The program at West recently introduced students with three to 15
unexcused absences in the first four months of the school year, and
their parents or guardians, to TDP.
The goal: Nip truancy in the bud.
Let’s face it: Any program that can steer students more and more into
the classroom and away from too much idle time on their hands is a
program that should be applauded.
Hall obviously gets it. As an elected judge, he’s not content with just
maintaining things the way they are. He’s trying to make a difference
in the lives of many.
We should have more elected officials who look beyond the obvious
day-to-day business to make a difference in their respective
communities.
Hall is impacting at least two of the county’s six middle schools. The
program also helps ease the burden on courts. Last year, the two family
courts handled 10,000 cases.
With three or more unexcused absences, children can be considered truant and heading to court in Kentucky.
As Hall puts it, “There’s nothing positive about coming to court.’’
Thanks to this judge, fewer students are getting to the point of needing to get into the court system.
To Judge M. Brent Hall, here’s to a job well done.
This editorial represents a consensus of The News-Enterprise editorial board.