Truancy!

Truancy!
by Ivonette Aguilar

Does the Oakland Police Department really want you in school? Why does the truancy center exist? Instead of sending you to school the police treat you like you're a criminal. They put you through a humiliating process and take you to the truancy center in downtown Oakland.

In the truancy center the police sit you down and make you sign a paper saying you will obey their rules. Police officers call you up one by one. You have to give up your backpack. They search you in front of everybody in the room. They make you spread your legs, they take your jewelry, cell phones, everything. Why? Because they won’t let you in the “classroom” with your stuff. You can't take anything inside but yourself.

Once your in the “classroom” the “teacher” will give you a folder and you have to write about your life family, friends, etc. The “teacher” in the truancy center doesn't teach you anything. You sit there watching time go by. Why can’t the police just take you back to school? 80% of money for schools comes from attendance.
Maybe they just want us to get used to getting treated like criminals. California laws clearly state that all students must attend school from ages 6-18. If that’s true then what’s the point of truancy centers? But, becareful If truancy catches you more than once you're drivers license might get delayed or revoked. Your parents can be jailed or fined up to $2,500. If they really want kids to stay in school then why do they make centers like truancy?