First case to be heard Monday for truancy court in Butler and Ripley counties

With a stern voice, Judge John Bloodworth warned the youth before his bench Monday, "If you're not in school, we're going to come find you."

"That means," he continued for the woman acting as the boy's guardian, "if he's not in school, we're going to be knocking on your door."

The proceedings were a dress rehearsal for the first case of the 36th Judicial Circuit's Truancy Court, which will be heard Monday at the Butler-Ripley County Juvenile Center.

Truancy Court for Butler County will meet weekly at the juvenile center. Cases in Ripley County will be heard at the courthouse there, with the first scheduled for Thursday.

The court was formed in less than 10 months through the concentrated efforts of area educators, juvenile authorities, the judges of this judicial circuit, and many others.

It will hold students and parents in Poplar Bluff, Twin Rivers, Neelyville, Naylor, Doniphan and Ripley County school districts accountable for excessive unexcused absences.

The first cases to be heard, according to organizers, involve families who ignored warnings during the past school year to improve attendance or answer to a judge. All school districts involved have referred students for the first court dates.

The absences which concern organizers can equal dozens of days per child in one school year. They greatly hurt a child's chances for success in school, officials say, and can be used to hide cases of abuse or neglect.

"Truancy Court is probably going to affect this community much more than it thinks it will," said Presiding Circuit Judge Robert Smith.

The cooperation from everyone involved, as well as the commitment districts, has been amazing, he said.

In a year plagued by funding cuts, districts have committed approximately $140,000 to the project. The money is expected to fund full-time juvenile officers in both Ripley and Butler counties, as well as other expenses.

"Ultimately, they hope to have more income from increased ADA," Smith said, referring to the attendance count used in the state funding formula. "But this is a rough time to ask them to experiment."

The court is modeled after a successful program in Stoddard County, which community leaders there attribute with helping decrease daytime crime committed by juveniles and increased graduation rates.

Districts will refer students, or family units if multiple children are involved, to the court based on attendance. The case will be considered truancy if it involves older students, and educational neglect for those concerning younger students.

The court will then work with families to correct the issues or behavior which led to excessive absences. Truancy Court judges will consider other factors, including discipline referrals and grades, once a referral is made. Rewards, such as school supplies, punishments, including community service, and tutoring may be ordered by the judge.