Ohio members from Students for Education Reform testified in support of House Bill 410, encouraging the inclusion of zero-tolerance language.
On Feb. 16, members from the Students for Education Reform Ohio chapters attended an Ohio House of Representatives Education Committee meeting in the support of House Bill 410.
Members went to the statehouse to support the truancy bill to encourage the inclusion of zero-tolerance language. As a result of the current truancy laws, many students are penalized by suspension, expulsion, fines and in some cases even jail time.
The bill would introduce a more reasonable process and offer alternative discipline. Austin Ambrose, a junior and Ohio state captain of the Students for Education Reform, explained why the reworking of those policies is imperative to Ohio’s schooling: “While addressing discipline under the topic of truancy, the conversation about discipline policies more broadly follows naturally. We see the opportunity to go further to support Ohio students and keep them in the classroom and learning.”
According to Children’s Defense Fund Ohio, more than 6,000 suspensions in Ohio schools were a result of truancy in the 2013-14 academic year, and nonviolent offenses account for about 200,000 suspensions and expulsions each year. Students for Education Reform Ohio’s current campaign seeks to eliminate zero tolerance policies as a whole.
James Schuster, the group's Ohio media coordinator, said to the committee, “We, as college students, believe that zero tolerance policies for non-violent offenses are equally as harmful as truancy policies currently in law, if not more.”
Because such a large number of students are affected by the harmful laws, we are aiming to eradicate those policies. Students for Education Reform Ohio Organizing Coordinator, Mary Honaker, gave testimony on why HB 410 and zero-tolerance policies are imperative.
“For some children, their greatest hope right now is actually the members of this committee, who have the vote and the voice to make it necessary for them to be put in programs which address why they are not in school, instead of shipping them off to the nearest juvenile court,” she said.
HB 410 sets up an intervention team that seeks to correct the student’s truancy that will consist of the child, a parent or guardian, a school faculty member and a representative from the court. The bill also aims to redefine the number of days it takes for a student to be considered truant.
As it stands, a student is punished for truancy after missing five consecutive days of school without an excuse, or seven days in any school month. Students for Education Reform recognizes the difference in school days by each district and among various school programs, so we hope to administer absences through hours instead.
Sarah Mikac is a sophomore studying English. Do you support House Bill 410? Email her at sm120113@ohio.edu.
