Insanity is often defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Why is this our approach with educating our children? Senator Cleo Fields wrote a bill that will remove parents’ right to decide what is best for their children. Only, they are not doing a very good job with the power they have already taken. Louisiana’s students are not thriving. Again our government sees our children as dollar signs sitting in desks.
A Failing System Wants More Power
One thing Senator Fields aims to do is lower the compulsory age to 5. This would make kindergarten mandatory. Parents will be not legally be able to decide what is best for their children. Louisiana is always next to last in education. Why should the government have more say?
In February 2021, Dr. Cade Brumley stated that Louisiana is down 17,000 students. According to USN Louisiana is ranked #48 for education. This should alarm our government. They should be scrambling to fix things. The focus should be students, not power and money.
Pre-pandemic statistics were the same. We can not blame Covid-19 for falling this short. Teachers have lost most of their ability to approach educating our children with a passion. Our government does not leave room for nurturing students as individuals. They want all kids to dress the same, learn the same, and perform the same.
A Decision Best Left to Parents
Which person voting on this bill has spent time with your children and is in a position to decide what is best for them? Why would they vote in favor of taking that decision from parents? What do the students gain from this move?
Senate Bill 10 is an overreach. Not all children are ready for a formal classroom setting at age 5. This will impact many children including home schooled and special needs students. It is time for those calling the shots to stop viewing children as dollar signs.
This bill threatens parents with fines and/or jail time.
“The parent or legal guardian of the child shall also assure the attendance of the child in regularly assigned classes during regular school hours established by the school board and shall assure that the child is not habitually tardy from school pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 17:233.
Education RS 17:233 — Cases of habitual absence or tardiness referred to juvenile or family court
(i) A first offense shall be punishable by a fine of not more than fifty dollars or the performance of not less than twenty-five hours of community service.
Any subsequent offense shall be punishable in accordance with R.S. 17:221(A)(2).
(iii) For purposes of this Subparagraph, an offense means a violation of this Subsection by the parent or legal guardian of a child who is habitually absent or habitually tardy; multiple offenses may result from violations involving different habitually absent or tardy children of that parent or legal guardian.
(iv) In any case where the child is the subject of a court ordered custody or visitation plan, the parent or legal guardian who is lawfully exercising actual physical custody or visitation of the child shall be responsible for the child’s attendance at school on those days and shall be solely responsible for any absence or tardiness of the child on such days. The parent or legal guardian not exercising actual physical custody or visitation on the day of the absence or tardiness shall not be in violation of this Section.
R.S. 17:221(A)(2)
Whoever violates the provisions of this Subsection or R.S. 17:234 shall be fined not more than two hundred and fifty dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both. The court shall impose a minimum condition of probation which may include that the parent, tutor, or other person having control or charge of the child participate in forty hours of school or community service activities, or a combination of forty hours of school or community service and attendance in parenting classes or family counseling sessions or programs approved by the court having jurisdiction, as applicable, or the suspension of any state-issued recreational license.
Senator Field’s bill passed the committee with only Senator Beth Mizell voting against it. Monday, April 26, 2021 senate will hear this bill. Please Show up to this meeting and/or contact senate and ask them to put our children first.
