I am a truant

[Dys]

So, I am a "truant" I think I've missed at least 10 school days every year since probably 7th grade. This year I think I'm at an all time high at 21 days (except maybe 7th grade when I missed 25 days due to being sick for 3 weeks straight). Now, obviously I haven't been sick for 21 days. Realistically I've been sick... I think 6-8 days. So, that's 13-15 days where I literally just skipped school. So, I had a meeting with the truancy officer a month ago and he said that if I didn't start coming to school that I could go to jail or my mom would.

Now, I'm not your typical "truant" I have a 3.6 GPA. I have never been in any trouble at school. I have never drank (I've tasted, but not enough to get a buzz) or done any drugs of any kind. I'm a pretty good kid considering, but whenever people realize how many days I missed they act as if I'm some demon child.

So, I have 2 questions: 1. Was the truancy officer just bluffing or could I actually get in serious trouble for this? (It's my senior year and I'm a month from graduating.) 2. Am I a "bad kid" for missing so many days of school?

I was the truancy king when I was still going to school. They never did anything to me.

183 days skipped in 8th grade.
194 days skipped in 9th grade.
210~ days skipped in 10th grade.

I really didn't like school.

[prwraith]

You can't be to smart if you don't realize that with so little time left you should just suck it up and not risk any issues.

School is awesome idk why anyone would skip I had a blast in high school and college. Free food no real work lots of friends cute girls etc whats to hate about that in high school ?

[Damsbo]

I'm a little confused..
Do you guys actually get punished for not attending classes?
I mean, here, its "our own problem" if we dont show up - I can skip classes from august-june; and if I pass the exam, fine, if I dont, I'll have to try again next year. Surely, attending classes increases your chances to complete the class, but there is no punishment other than your own waste of time if you dont.

[Reeve]

I'm a little confused..
Do you guys actually get punished for not attending classes?
I mean, here, its "our own problem" if we dont show up - I can skip classes from august-june; and if I pass the exam, fine, if I dont, I'll have to try again next year. Surely, attending classes increases your chances to complete the class, but there is no punishment other than your own waste of time if you dont.

Yeah, there are laws on the books in many states in the US where a student who doesn't show for classes can be punished with time in Juvenile Hall, community service, or expulsion and reassignment to a rehabilitation school.

Usually these laws aren't enforced except in extreme cases, but the truancy officer mentioned in the OP probably does have the power to carry out the threat he made.

[vep]

All I have to say is: what da fuk?! How on God's green Earth can someone take legal actions against you if you missed school?! I mean, isn't that a direct fucking violation of basic human rights? First Amendment, I think. What happened to "the land of the free" or "you're free to make your choices"?
I've skipped school plenty of times. It was a joke, actually. But our schools work differently, I guess. The worst thing, as the absolute maximum punishment, is being expelled from school. No fucking financial punishment, no legal actions, no nothing. You're simply not attending that school anymore. So, whatever country you're from, you have a serious issue right there.

As for you being a "bad kid"... No. You're a bad student, that's for sure. But you're not a bad kid nor a bad person. Have people forgotten that there exists such stuff as not being a person who fits in schools? I know I'm one of those. But I still have it pretty good in my life. I have a job (my own firm, actually), I do rock climbing as a hobby/passion and I never ever broke any kind of law except speeding and parking where parking is not allowed.


Seriously, school is optional. No matter what they tell you otherwise. It's damn good to have it but it is still optional. The only thing that matters is that you enjoy your life but NOT at the expense of other people or other people suffering for your actions.

---------- Post added 2013-04-15 at 01:28 PM ----------

Yeah, there are laws on the books in many states in the US where a student who doesn't show for classes can be punished with time in Juvenile Hall, community service, or expulsion and reassignment to a rehabilitation school.

Usually these laws aren't enforced except in extreme cases, but the truancy officer mentioned in the OP probably does have the power to carry out the threat he made.

America - the Land of the Free! Right?

[glo]

I was the truancy king when I was still going to school. They never did anything to me.

183 days skipped in 8th grade.
194 days skipped in 9th grade.
210~ days skipped in 10th grade.

I really didn't like school.

Considering there aren't enough school days in a year to miss that many days, I'm not sure what you're getting at. However, your distaste for school is evident in that you're not able to make a logical fictitious amount of missed days.

@OP - If you're 18, you can't get in any trouble. You could just drop out if you want, but you wont get into any legal issues. Even if you're past 16 in the US there's no real legal issues you could face, you could still drop with parental approval. Not saying that you -want- to drop out of school, but considering you could, it's not like your parents or yourself could face legal repercussions.

[prwraith]

I still don't understand why people skip school it's the last time in your life that you will have shit all for responsibilities. Not to mention its a great all around time.

It's not like school is even remotely difficult even at the honors level. Here In Florida you immediately fail after 9 days missed per semester. College classes at the community college will drop you after 3 missed classes.

It comes down to just being responsible.

[Shepherd57]

So, I am a "truant" I think I've missed at least 10 school days every year since probably 7th grade. This year I think I'm at an all time high at 21 days (except maybe 7th grade when I missed 25 days due to being sick for 3 weeks straight). Now, obviously I haven't been sick for 21 days. Realistically I've been sick... I think 6-8 days. So, that's 13-15 days where I literally just skipped school. So, I had a meeting with the truancy officer a month ago and he said that if I didn't start coming to school that I could go to jail or my mom would.

Now, I'm not your typical "truant" I have a 3.6 GPA. I have never been in any trouble at school. I have never drank (I've tasted, but not enough to get a buzz) or done any drugs of any kind. I'm a pretty good kid considering, but whenever people realize how many days I missed they act as if I'm some demon child.

So, I have 2 questions: 1. Was the truancy officer just bluffing or could I actually get in serious trouble for this? (It's my senior year and I'm a month from graduating.) 2. Am I a "bad kid" for missing so many days of school?

1. No, he wasn't bluffing, but jail is the last resort. If you haven't had a truency hearing before, than no, but if you have been before the board for truency multiple years, than yes she could go to jail, you could go to juvenile detention, or there have been a few instances of the state taking the child into foster care (very few though).

2. You aren't a bad kid per say, but you are making poor choices. Skipping that repeatedly is a sign of disrespect to authority (teachers, law, parents). You will get fired for skipping work in the future and most colleges are harder than high school so skipping will impact your grades more as a general rule.

[Reeve]

America - the Land of the Free! Right?

No one ever claimed children are free to do as they wish.

[glo]

1. No, he wasn't bluffing, but jail is the last resort. If you haven't had a truency hearing before, than no, but if you have been before the board for truency multiple years, than yes she could go to jail, you could go to juvenile detention, or there have been a few instances of the state taking the child into foster care (very few though).

2. You aren't a bad kid per say, but you are making poor choices. Skipping that repeatedly is a sign of disrespect to authority (teachers, law, parents). You will get fired for skipping work in the future and most colleges are harder than high school so skipping will impact your grades more as a general rule.

Except that they're over 16. There's nothing that could happen aside from the school forcing OP to drop out. All of the truancy laws are imposed on people under the age of 16 AFAIK.

[vep]

No one ever claimed children are free to do as they wish.

"Land of the Free" kinda implies everyone has the right to make their own choices, doesn't it?

[Csnyder]

So, I am a "truant" I think I've missed at least 10 school days every year since probably 7th grade. This year I think I'm at an all time high at 21 days (except maybe 7th grade when I missed 25 days due to being sick for 3 weeks straight). Now, obviously I haven't been sick for 21 days. Realistically I've been sick... I think 6-8 days. So, that's 13-15 days where I literally just skipped school. So, I had a meeting with the truancy officer a month ago and he said that if I didn't start coming to school that I could go to jail or my mom would.

Now, I'm not your typical "truant" I have a 3.6 GPA. I have never been in any trouble at school. I have never drank (I've tasted, but not enough to get a buzz) or done any drugs of any kind. I'm a pretty good kid considering, but whenever people realize how many days I missed they act as if I'm some demon child.

So, I have 2 questions: 1. Was the truancy officer just bluffing or could I actually get in serious trouble for this? (It's my senior year and I'm a month from graduating.) 2. Am I a "bad kid" for missing so many days of school?

in some states your parents could end up in jail for your actions. its happend many times in my state
if you have been sick as you say then get a doctors note....end of issue

[kendro1200]

So, I have 2 questions: 1. Was the truancy officer just bluffing or could I actually get in serious trouble for this? (It's my senior year and I'm a month from graduating.) 2. Am I a "bad kid" for missing so many days of school?

1) Yes you can, there is actually legal law that states if you're under 18 you need to be in a school from 8 to 3 (roughly, can change depending on school district). To enter programs like self study or homeschool a document has to be signed that states during those hours you'll be studying and not running around outside or goofing off, and that a legal adult will be supervising you at all times. So yeah, they can force you to repeat a grade if you skipped enough classes. I think the only reason you're getting a deal cut at the moment is because of your gpa. If your gpa was lower they probably would have just had you repeat or take summer school to make up the time.
2) Not really, the only reason they want you in class is because they get paid for every day you're in class. So ditching a month of school has essentially deprived them a month of income they expected and planned around having. Obviously no one really likes losing money, on the plus side though, you've saved the state money. By not going to school the days you didn't feel it necessary you've enabled the state to not have to pay for those days that you didn't go to school.

This is of course under the assumption that your state's laws on schools aren't drastically different from California's.

[Reeve]

"Land of the Free" kinda implies everyone has the right to make their own choices, doesn't it?

It implies that everyone who is responsible for themselves has that right. Children aren't responsible for themselves.

[N-7]

"Land of the Free" kinda implies everyone has the right to make their own choices, doesn't it?

Anyone under 18 years need his guardian for almost everything legal.

[hastilavista]

First of all, just go to school.

Second, if you dont like to attend school, you should at least get the paperwork done. Just visit a doctor, not that hard.

You are smart, dont make stupid errors.

[Reeve]

1) Yes you can, there is actually legal law that states if you're under 18 you need to be in a school from 8 to 3 (roughly, can change depending on school district). To enter programs like self study or homeschool a document has to be signed that states during those hours you'll be studying and not running around outside or goofing off, and that a legal adult will be supervising you at all times. So yeah, they can force you to repeat a grade if you skipped enough classes. I think the only reason you're getting a deal cut at the moment is because of your gpa. If your gpa was lower they probably would have just had you repeat or take summer school to make up the time.
2) Not really, the only reason they want you in class is because they get paid for every day you're in class. So ditching a month of school has essentially deprived them a month of income they expected and planned around having. Obviously no one really likes losing money, on the plus side though, you've saved the state money. By not going to school the days you didn't feel it necessary you've enabled the state to not have to pay for those days that you didn't go to school.

This is of course under the assumption that your state's laws on schools aren't drastically different from California's.

Yeah, I wish when I was in school I'd known about how the schools get paid by asses in chairs. It would have given me sooooo much more bargaining power.

[Shepherd57]

Except that they're over 16. There's nothing that could happen aside from the school forcing OP to drop out. All of the truancy laws are imposed on people under the age of 16 AFAIK.

Yes and no. Some states just require the parent to be legally responsible for the child and under 18 to go before a juvenile court judge.

[Gandrake]

School is awesome idk why anyone would skip I had a blast in high school and college. Free food no real work lots of friends cute girls etc whats to hate about that in high school ?

maybe because people couldn't or just didn't enjoy the things you did

but this does only go to show that school is more social than educational.

[Duronos]

Hey Shootandkill, I'm not in this section often but I recognized your name and thread relates to my expieriences in high which I'm still in of course. Last year during my junior year 2nd semester I never was in school, I'd get in my car usually, drop my brother off and drive to parking lot and sleep in my car partly because I was pretty nocturnal. Needless to say I rarely went to class and had straight F's.... I somehow had the school let me drop my courses and I'm now back this year as a senior doing my shit when needed.

Truancy is overrated for anyone who maintains a 3.5 unweighted GPA and above I personally believe and depending on what state you're in you cant be arrested if you are 16 and over for it. I think the difference I had compared to you was that I was literally skipping at least one class a day and just had no drive for school at all. I had a 3.75 unweighted GPA before my junior year and I wasn't taking easy classes. Look, my best advice I can give you is to bring a handheld gaming device to school and use it to pass the time. Pokemon does it for me and bring some headphones. If you're already doing fine then it won't hurt to pass the time without being truant by playing some video games.