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 is introduced into truancy it becomes attractive because there is no authoritative figure. What comes to mind is an old cliché "Idle Mind is the devil workshop" which reflects the reason why kids get into drugs and the life of crime. Most of home bugularies, purse snatching, and auto theft happens between the hours of 8AM and 3PM 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 shcool environment to continue their education. Parents should be notified of their childrens'behavior and informed of the consequences for allowing it to continuing. I've met with the District Attorney's Office, the Richmond Police Department, and RUSD 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 $1M 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 adminstrated a successful truancy program for the OUSD over eleven years. I believe the program has the propensity to reduce crime in the City of Richmond and should be initiated by the city government.
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