Skip to main content

Justices clarify scope of school attendance law

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Virginia Supreme Court says the state’s compulsory school attendance law doesn’t require parents to get their kids to class on time.

In a 5-2 ruling Friday, the court reversed the convictions of a divorced mom in Loudoun County who whose three children were repeatedly tardy. The court’s majority concluded that the compulsory attendance law only requires that children be enrolled. The justices said other provisions of the code deal with truancy.

Maureen Anne Blake has custody of her children on Wednesday nights and is responsible for getting them to school on Thursday mornings. They were up to 20 minutes late 10 times over four months. Blake told school officials she and one of the children have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and that’s why they were often tardy.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Emergency guide: What you should do to prepare for emergencies

WASHINGTON — Do you know what you'd do if an emergency hits? What if you're at work, your spouse is stuck in traffic and your children are in school? There's no way to plan for every emergency, but you can make sure you're prepared for different scenarios, including making a plan for your family and building a kit of emergency supplies.
Read Next Story