Breaking News
Jailing parents 'ridiculous'
John Blair
Tuesday 8 April, 2008 12:01am
TRUANCY is not a major issue in the Hills but local reaction to a State Government plan to jail parents who repeatedly fail to send their children to school is "disbelief".
Anti-truancy laws presaged by Premier Morris Iemma would provide up to two years jail and fines of up to $10,000 for parents of habitual offenders.
"This is not only ridiculous, but unworkable," Baulkham Hills State Liberal MP Wayne Merton said. "It is almost unbelievable a government with such a poor record on law and order and allows hoons to rule our streets should make parents responsible for an extremely delicate and sensitive psychological issue," Mr Merton said.
He said parents were often blameless in the cases of truancy.
"I believe the Iemma Government would be better served looking for the real causes why a small number of children do not habitually attend school instead of this cop-out," he said.
He warned the "practical outcomes of jailing parents could be horrific".
"Who goes to jail mothers or fathers, or both?" Mr Merton asked.
"Then we have the problem of who would look after children while parents were in jail."
To find out what local residents think about this issue, turn to the Vox Pop on page 18.
