Oregon Public Schools

[RonnieDavis]

What is the name of your state? Oregon

My little brother age 17 has been skipping allot of school lately. He has mostly gone in the morning, left for a few periods in the afternoon, then returned for his later classes. He is a senior in high school.

Recently my parents spoke with the dean of students and found out that my brother will be given a 2 hour detention for each of his truancys, and since he has skipped so much school he has about 45 hours of detention, which is far more than he is willing to attend in these late months of the school year. After my parents found that he wouldn't be able to walk in graduation if he has unserved detentions, they decided to call the school and excuse all of his absences, which didn't fly with the Dean.

I need any information anyone has on truancy laws in the state of Oregon in public schools. We need to find out if parents can excuse absences from the students record for "illness" (my brother was not ill, mind you). Please keep in mind that he is skipping school on his own, and my parents are doing all they can to keep him in school. Thanks in advance for any help provided!

 

[rmet4nzkx]

You should check with your local law enforcement as local code may also apply. It sounds like your parents are not setting a good example and deserve detention as well.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

Oregon Revised Statues
Chapter 339 — School Attendance; Admission; Discipline; Safety

339.010 School attendance required; age limits. Except as provided in ORS 339.030, all children between the ages of 7 and 18 years who have not completed the 12th grade are required to attend regularly a public full-time school of the school district in which the child resides. [Amended by 1965 c.100 §274]


339.065 Estimates of attendance; irregular attendance; excused absences. (1) In estimating regular attendance for purposes of the compulsory attendance provisions of ORS 339.005 to 339.030, 339.040 to 339.125, 339.137, 339.420 and 339.990, the principal or teacher shall consider all unexcused absences. Eight unexcused one-half day absences in any four-week period during which the school is in session shall be considered irregular attendance.

(2) An absence may be excused by a principal or teacher if the absence is caused by the pupil’s sickness, by the sickness of some member of the pupil’s family or by an emergency. A principal or teacher may also excuse absences for other reasons where satisfactory arrangements are made in advance of the absence.

(3) Any pupil may be excused from attendance by the district school board for a period not to exceed five days in a term of three months or not to exceed 10 days in any term of at least six months. Any such excuse shall be in writing directed to the principal of the school which the pupil attends. [1965 c.100 §281; 1973 c.728 §4; 1987 c.158 §57; 1993 c.45 §114]

339.925 Compulsory school attendance violation procedure. (1) In addition to any other persons permitted to enforce violations, the school district superintendent or education service district superintendent, or any employee specifically designated by either superintendent, may issue citations for violations established under ORS 339.990 in the manner provided by ORS chapter 153.

(2) Prior to issuing the citation described in subsection (3) of this section to the parent or guardian of a student not regularly attending full-time school, a school district superintendent or education service district superintendent shall:

(a) Provide a parent or guardian of the student and the student with written notification that:

(A) States that the student is required to attend regularly a full-time school;

(B) Explains that the failure to send the student and maintain the student in regular attendance is a Class C violation;

(C) States that the superintendent may issue a citation;

(D) Requires the parent or guardian of the student and the student to attend a conference with a designated official; and

(E) Is written in the native language of the parent or guardian of the student.

(b) Schedule the conference described in paragraph (a)(D) of this subsection.

(3) Notwithstanding ORS 1.525 or any provision of ORS chapter 153, the State Board of Education by rule shall establish the citation form to be used by superintendents in citing violations established under ORS 339.990. Notwithstanding ORS 153.045, each of the parts of the citation shall contain the information required by the state board.

(4) All fines and court costs recovered from compulsory school attendance violations shall be paid to the clerk of the court involved. After deductions of court costs provided by law for the proceeding, the clerk shall pay the remainder of the money to the State Treasurer to be deposited in the Criminal Fine and Assessment Account in the General Fund. [1993 c.413 §4; 1995 c.116 §1; 1999 c.1051 §112]


PENALTIES

339.990 Penalties. Violation of ORS 339.020 or the requirements of ORS 339.035 is a Class C violation. [Amended by 1965 c.100 §299; 1967 c.67 §10; 1985 c.597 §3; 1993 c.413 §1; 1999 c.1051 §113]


Your parents are irresponsible and I hope you don't allow them to ruin your life as they are attempting to do with your older brother.

It's time he faced up to his punishment like a man. Or be a punk the rest of his life.