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16 year old quite school are we obligated to pay child support?

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tifiniew

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Missouri

My husband has two children from a previous marriage and they live with their mother. One is 16 and the other is 10. He pays his ex child support for both children. The 16 year old has not visited us for quite sometime as he does not like our rules. My husband has just learned that his exwife and his 16 year old son have decided he can quit school. We want him to go back and at least graduate however its doubtful. Are we still obligated to pay child support if he is not in school? We thought we could use this as a scare tactic where the ex was concerned...tell her child support stops if he quits school. Maybe this will keep him in school if she pushes him.
 


HomeGuru

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Missouri

My husband has two children from a previous marriage and they live with their mother. One is 16 and the other is 10. He pays his ex child support for both children. The 16 year old has not visited us for quite sometime as he does not like our rules. My husband has just learned that his exwife and his 16 year old son have decided he can quit school. We want him to go back and at least graduate however its doubtful. Are we still obligated to pay child support if he is not in school? We thought we could use this as a scare tactic where the ex was concerned...tell her child support stops if he quits school. Maybe this will keep him in school if she pushes him.
**A: the answer is yes.
 

StampGirl

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Missouri

My husband has two children from a previous marriage and they live with their mother. One is 16 and the other is 10. He pays his ex child support for both children. The 16 year old has not visited us for quite sometime as he does not like our rules. My husband has just learned that his exwife and his 16 year old son have decided he can quit school. We want him to go back and at least graduate however its doubtful. Are we still obligated to pay child support if he is not in school? We thought we could use this as a scare tactic where the ex was concerned...tell her child support stops if he quits school. Maybe this will keep him in school if she pushes him.
See bolded words above? There is no "we" unless its between the child's mom and dad. YOU are not either of those people.

Legally, the child has to attend school. His mom and dad need to figure out a way to make that happen.

YOU are not legally obligated in any way shape or form to pay child support for a child who is not yours. So there is your answer.

Your husband is required to pay but YOU are not.
 

TinkerBelleLuvr

Senior Member
From what I am finding, the legal age they can drop out is 16, with parental consent. BUT ... I encountered some bills (don't know if it made it into law) that would remove a driver's license from someone under 18 who is NOT in school full-time. Might want to call the license branch and see if it made it into legistlation.

Boy do I know the power of the car keys.
 

TinkerBelleLuvr

Senior Member
Required attendance
Maximum compulsory age for students to stay in school:

Age 16: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming.

Age 17:Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee.

Age 18:California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire (effective July 2009), New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2008/02/our-view-on-man.html
 

Happy Trails

Senior Member
From what I am finding, the legal age they can drop out is 16, with parental consent. BUT ... I encountered some bills (don't know if it made it into law) that would remove a driver's license from someone under 18 who is NOT in school full-time. Might want to call the license branch and see if it made it into legistlation.

Boy do I know the power of the car keys.
Ginny, if you post the name of the bills you have run across, maybe I or others may be able to find out there status.
 

TinkerBelleLuvr

Senior Member
http://house.missouri.gov/content.aspx?info=/bills061/biltxt/intro/HB1277I.HTM
HOUSE BILL NO. 1277

Dad, might find a little bluffing power in this bill here. There are some point in here where you might be able to place some fear into a child to get him back into school.

Legislation changing state policy on when students can drop out of high school was debated this week by the Senate Education Committee. SB 243 raises the dropout age from 16 to 17 in an effort to lower dropout rates. Missouri is one of 26 states with the dropout age at 16; the others have it at 17 or 18. Supporters of raising the dropout age say it offers an additional incentive for students to stay in school and earn their diploma, which would benefit individual students and the Missouri workforce as a whole. However, skeptics point out that the policy could result in discipline problems, with students unable to drop out simply behaving badly in order to be expelled.
http://missourisenate.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html

Okay guys, see if any of these made it into law.
 

proud_parent

Senior Member
Does son live in a metropolitan school district? If so, this may be of interest:
Missouri Code
§ 167.031.
— School attendance compulsory, who may be excused--nonattendance, penalty--home school, definition, requirements--school year defined--daily log, defense to prosecution--compulsory attendance age for the district defined

6. As used in sections 167.031 to 167.051, the term "compulsory attendance age for the district" shall mean:

(1) Seventeen years of age for any metropolitan school district for which the school board adopts a resolution to establish such compulsory attendance age; provided that such resolution shall take effect no earlier than the school year next following the school year during which the resolution is adopted; and

(2) Sixteen years of age in all other cases.
§ 167.031. Missouri

However, note that a child may be excused from attendance as early as age 14 if gainfully employed:
1. (2) A child between fourteen years of age and the compulsory attendance age for the district may be excused from attendance at school for the full time required, or any part thereof, by the superintendent of public schools of the district, or if there is none then by a court of competent jurisdiction, when legal employment has been obtained by the child and found to be desirable, and after the parents or guardian of the child have been advised of the pending action;
 

majomom1

Senior Member
From what I am finding, the legal age they can drop out is 16, with parental consent. BUT ... I encountered some bills (don't know if it made it into law) that would remove a driver's license from someone under 18 who is NOT in school full-time. Might want to call the license branch and see if it made it into legistlation.

Boy do I know the power of the car keys.
I do know that parents can have the license revoked, but it requires the signature of BOTH parents, or all parties that have custody.

Mom may not know that this is an option. Perhaps Dad could inform her and come to an agreement. Or does anyone know, would this give Dad a change of circumstance for changing custody? I know I would be revoking that license!
 

TinkerBelleLuvr

Senior Member
The bill made it sound like it was the option of the STATE to revoke the license. Here, children have to be in school to KEEP that license. So, it is conceivable that other states may think that way.
 

majomom1

Senior Member
The bill made it sound like it was the option of the STATE to revoke the license. Here, children have to be in school to KEEP that license. So, it is conceivable that other states may think that way.
Oh I get it... and completely agree! The State is just sometimes too slow. I see this as being something that would be hard for the State to monitor, or control.

I think it is the parents that should step up and use this option.
 

TinkerBelleLuvr

Senior Member
Which is why I suggested that DAD call the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to see if this was the case.

Now, mom is mighty stupid, IMHO, to allow any child to dropout of school. She has just condemned a child to lower earning potential in life.
 

Happy Trails

Senior Member
http://house.missouri.gov/content.aspx?info=/bills061/biltxt/intro/HB1277I.HTM
HOUSE BILL NO. 1277

Dad, might find a little bluffing power in this bill here. There are some point in here where you might be able to place some fear into a child to get him back into school.

http://missourisenate.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html

Okay guys, see if any of these made it into law.
It appears that the Bill has died.

HB1277 Allows parents or legal guardians of 16 to 18-year-old children to choose to have the compulsory school attendance and work certificate laws apply to their children.

Sponsor: Baker, Brian (123) Proposed Effective Date: 08/28/2006
CoSponsor: Fisher, Barney (125) **************...etal. LR Number: 4105L.01I

Last Action: 02/02/2006 - Referred: Elementary and Secondary Education (H) HB1277

Next Hearing: Hearing not scheduled

Calendar: Bill currently not on a calendar

http://www.house.mo.gov/content.aspx?info=/bills061/bills/HB1277.htm
--------------------------------------
 

Humusluvr

Senior Member
Which is why I suggested that DAD call the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to see if this was the case.

Now, mom is mighty stupid, IMHO, to allow any child to dropout of school. She has just condemned a child to lower earning potential in life.
Maybe mom is a mighty stupid high school dropout herself, and doesn't care if kiddo graduates, as long as he's got a job.

I've seen it where parents just want the school to quit bugging them about their kid. Pathetic parenting.... :mad:
 

HomeGuru

Senior Member
Maybe mom is a mighty stupid high school dropout herself, and doesn't care if kiddo graduates, as long as he's got a job.

I've seen it where parents just want the school to quit bugging them about their kid. Pathetic parenting.... :mad:
**A: good point.
 

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