W. Virginia Bill Would Yank Your Driver's License if Your Kid Misses Too Much School

People are idiots if they think this bill will do anything at all other than punish people for conditions out of their control. Instead of punishing the parents because the kid walks in one door and out the next door as soon as they get dropped off, why not do something so that the kids CAN'T leave, hmmm? It's not about the parents being bad parents, I love how judgemental people are, automatically assuming that because their child skips school, that they are bad parents, but anyone with half a brain would understand that even children have free will and the ability to make decisions conciously. Any congressman who thinks he can legislate free thought, free will away from a child is going to come to a rather abrupt realization that he's an awful legislator.

And yes, this is a liberal use of policy to enforce a conservative ideal. But which is worse...The conservative ideal that kids should be attending class without interruption, or the liberal ideology that because you are the government you can regulate any part of a persons life, up to and including tying two non-related skills together?

@John Menuis: First of all, driving isn't a RIGHT, it's a PRIVILEGE. Enough said about that.

Second of all, just to indicate the reading comprehension of many of these complainers, the bill presented clearly states UNEXCUSED absences. Must that be explained? Not to someone who actually ATTENDED school.

Also, looking at some of the grammar and spelling of some of these posts, really, I think that most of these people missed more than 10 days of school in second and third grade to have such horrible communication skills. Typos, I understand, but most of these errors are spelling and grammar, not typos. The communication skills exhibited in these posts (mostly people complaining about this bill, imagine that) are poor at best. Perhaps this bill, in being presented, makes a very valid point. STAY IN SCHOOL. LEARN SOMETHING BESIDES HOW TO MAKE BABIES THAT YOU ARE NOT EQUIPPED (or can't be bothered) TO RAISE.

They tell you not to send your child to school if your child is sick. So if our child is coughing and feeling like crap we keep them home and pump them full of cold medicine and orange juice. Taking care of a cold is something we all know how to do. Also, a cold is something doctors can not cure. So why would we waste the money to visit the pediatrician for a cold. Yet with this law you would HAVE to visit the pediatrician. Because if you don't, then you have no proof that a missed day was excused.

And what about the parents who take their children on educational field trips? More than once I have taken my child out of school for a week to travel internationally. Would I lose my license for expanding my child's world view?

This is a terrible bill! It goes too far. West Virginia would become the official Nanny state. We don't need the bureaucracy telling us how we should raise our children. Take a good look at the child welfare and foster care system,,, they have already more than proven that government fails at taking care of kids.

do you know the cost to take your kids to the doctor for just a cold or flu just to here them say its just something going around.even with insurance it can be quit costly.and would you like me to send them to school sick and get your kid sick or others wich is where they may have got sick from in the first place.if parents would we sick kids at home less kids would be getting sick and have to miss school.

Duane, this is a democrat trying to push this law. Besides, when did it become a political issue. It's about school absentees and parents paying the price.

Yes, it is limited to unexcused absences, as so many seem to miss. But that too has consequences. The other day, my daughter didn't feel well and stayed home, but we thought she could try to go and so did not send in an excuse, leaving her to face any consequences. If we might have lost a license we damn sure would have given her an excuse no matter what.

The Gov. needs to look at the damage their butting in has already caused. They took away the parents right to spank (not beat) their children. A lot of those children are teens and are hitting their parents,stealing their parents cars and hang out in the streets instead of going to school. They could care less if their parents has to pay a fine,go to jail because of what they are or are not doing.
When those same kids end up in front of a judge, he could care less about how that law has affected a parents power. The blame shifts right back to you. Parents need to do what the youtube Uncle did...Whoop that behind and regain control as a parent. I typed in "angry uncle beats teen" if you want to see the video.

The bill is refering to UNEXCUSED absences. The question is, who defines an unexcused absence and how does an absence become excused? By a letter from the parents? It seems to me the idea behind the proposed bill is simply to help prevent kids from being able to skip school and sneek around without their parents knowing. If they are skipping school, what are they doing? Being babysat by a drug lord or sitting in a mall sucking coffee? Much better for a kid to be babysat at school then out on the streets. And the point of this bill, from the reported proposer in the first place, is to get parents from neglecting their kids.

You said it yourself... you are opposed to a law that interferes with YOUR right to parent. Well then, what gives you the right to interfere in Someone Else's right to parent. Exactly, nothing does. Just because you don't agree with how someone raises their children... you don't have the right to stick your nose in their business. The exception being, of course, if a minor is being abused.

All of my children's absences are excused by doctor and home notes but when my son reached 5 days I got a letter telling me to expect a call from the county Truancy officer to discuss why my child has missed so many days and that if he were to miss anymore I could be held accountable. It is BS that they threaten parents with these things. The only thing that is going to happen if this law is passed is parents are going to be losing their license end up on State assistance and the poverty level will dramatically increase. I get it parents who don't care need to be held accountable for their children missing so much school because without an education children will get no where in life.

I hate to break it to you but notes from home are not excused anymore. At least not in Ohio. The only thing that counts is a Dr. excuse. My co-pay for a Dr. appointment is $30. I am on a budget and I do not want to wast $30 for every cold or upset stomach. According to the school law here I have to or I will have truancy called on me. You are being judgmental by saying I am a bad parent if my kid misses 10 days of unexcused of school, but wouldn't it make me a worse parent if I sent my kid to school vomiting or diarrhea? Maybe you should ask questions before you judge. Unexcused does not all always mean skipped school.

10 unexcused absences are excessive? In addition to excused absences? How many days should a child be allowed to miss in a school year? Myown children rarely missed more than 5 days a year, I as a child usually missed 5-8 days a year. Anything past ten days absence should be considered excessive absence, unless of course there is a serious illness or extenuating circumstances.

IF PARENT'S WOULD STOP BEING SO LAZY AND HOLD THEIR KIDS ACCOUNTABLE THEY GOV'T WOULD NOT HAVE TO STEP IN! I SAY IF YOU WANT TO LET YOUR KIDS GROW UP KNOWING NOTHING FINE, BUT DON'T LOOK TO MY TAX DOLLARS TO FEED YOUR KIDS! AND DON'T COMPLAIIN BECAUSE YOU ONLY MAKE MINIMUM WAGE!

You are so wrong! My son was a handful, I brought him to school and put him in charge of the principal, he took off before he hit homeroom! Blame that on ME-NO! he was out of control and needed help. He got it and now is a great dad of my 2 grandgirls!

Of my three sons the only one that did well in life was my youngest who dropped out in 10th grade and try as I might to see that he arrived at school he would leave in mid day. He is now very successful in his own business and will make far more than I have. It shows that it is as easy to stay out of school and learn something as it is to go to school and learn nothing. School is not the only place one can learn. Ever heard of books?