See to it that kids are back into a structured class room.
I believe that the majority of the troubled children do not have strong enough leadership at home or in the school system. Many are children of single parent homes where the parent could be working more than one job. In these instances the child is raising his/herself. Once a child in introduced into truancy, truancy becomes attractive because there is no authoritative figure. What comes to mind in an old cliché "an Idle Mind is the devil's workshop" which reflects the reason why kids get into drugs and a life of crime. Most home burgularies, purse snatchings and auto thefts happen between the hours of 8 A.M. and 3 P.M. by the kids who are absent from school. In order to solve this problem, I believe that those kids should be rounded up by the Police and taken to a safe school environment to continue their education. Parents should be notified of their child's behavior and informed of the consequences for allowing it (truancy) to continue. I've met with the District Attorney's Office, the Richmond Police Department, and the Richmond Unified School District Board Members and set forth a truancy plan. All these agencies are in support. I am voting for the Measure T ballot measure which will generate funds to assist in the development of a truancy program. The money will be earmarked for law enforcement, special teachers, class room settings, and counseling. I administered a successful truancy program for the Oakland Unified School District for over eleven (11) years. I believe the program has the propensity to reduce crime in the City of Richmond and should initiated by the City government.
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