My daughter recently received a warning about being truant after missing six days at the beginning of April. We arranged for her to go on a cruise with her sister, because we felt the opportunity for these siblings to spend time together before the oldest graduates from Millard West this spring was in their best interest. We strongly value building and strengthening family bonds through opportunities such as this. It was also an incredible educational opportunity, as they visited Belize, Honduras, and Mexico; in addition, they received the education that comes just by virtue of the travel. She returned and demonstrated academic responsibility, quickly catching up in most of her classes.
After four days back in school, she got sick with the cold the rest of our family had been battling for 2-3 weeks. She has missed additional school. This truancy bill leaves no room for any “life education,” which limits the benefits of parental judgment. My daughter does not smoke, drink, or engage in premarital sex; she was just inducted in to NHS, and received an important award which she worked on for four years from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Yet in the new truancy law she is a criminal.
It is a great disappointment that Nebraska would forgo the trust of its finest citizens. I would urge this body to amend 463 to repeal the effects of LB 800 without further entrenching the truancy code to harm Nebraska families.
Crystal J. Young, mother of ten
Gretna Public Schools
Gretna, NE
2010/2011 School Year
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