Whenever I talk to the press, I feel nervous that they're going to
misquote me or take my words out of context. So in a nutshell, here's
what I really mean.
The current excessive absenteeism law has harmed many children and families.
Interactions with the justice system have been particularly harmful for
children suffering from mental and behavioral health issues
(depression, autism, etc.)
School districts throughout the state have reported thousands of
children to the county attorney unnecessarily. I don't know why. Some
day I'd like to get a straight answer from educators on what would
possess them to turn struggling kids over to law enforcement without
cause or remorse.
County attorneys have prosecuted children who
were not skipping school and were absent through no fault of their own,
including sick children with doctor's notes. I don't understand this
either. I'm not giving the county attorneys a pass; however, I do know
it's their job to prosecute and get convictions. I understand their
actions more than I understand the actions of the educators, who have
devoted their lives to helping children, yet have caused so much harm.
I am satisfied with the verbiage of Amendment 2164 and feel confident that positive changes will result when it becomes law.
The amendment, if implemented correctly, will resolve the problem of
children with absences due to physical and behavioral health being
turned over to the county attorney. I believe it will prevent thousands
of children from being thrown into the juvenile justice system.
There are children who need help overcoming barriers to attendance. AM
2164 is designed to offer that help rather than punish children who are
struggling.
I believe Sen. Brad Ashford is doing a good job of
explaining the problems with the current law and why changes need to be
made. I appreciate his willingness to advocate for those changes.
I am particularly grateful for Sen. Mark Christensen's work on this
issue. His advocacy for our families was behind the scenes and many
people will never know the extent of his contribution, but suffice it to
say he is a hero in my book.
Once the changes take effect,
parents will need to work collaboratively with their schools to ensure
the new law is implemented as intended. Parents elect their school
board members and pay the salaries of school employees, so parental
input into policies affecting their kids is crucial. It is the parents'
responsibility to work with their school districts respectfully to
achieve what is best for their children. That is, after all, what we
have been fighting for.
Brenda Vosik, Director
Nebraska Family Forum
It is the Mission of the Nebraska Family Forum (NFF) to promote education policies in our state that preserve and protect parental authority and the integrity of the family. In so doing, we will preserve the cooperative and respectful relationship between school authorities and parents, preserve a family-centered community, and provide a well-rounded education for our kids.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
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