CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — As we approach the start of another school year, a new study shows half of Texans think fining parents for children's school absences is a good idea.
Longtime local educator and most recently West Oso School Superintendent Conrado Garcia said, "It will work for a few but in my opinion after all of these years of being an educator, it will not get the majority."
Garcia said all schools struggle to find ways to keep kids coming to class each day.
"Talked about the education side. You can't teach them anything if they're not in school right?" said Garcia. "But the other side, school districts get paid with the number of students they have in their schools. I mean they have a role in attending."
The survey, published by Test Prep Insight dot com, asked Texans whether they believe parents of chronically absent schoolchildren should be fined. The results revealed that 45% of Texans support the idea, with an average suggested fine of $22 per day.
Dr. Nancy Vera, head of the local American Federation of Teachers chapter, says there are too many variables to set down such a blanket rule.
"I'm not sure that Texans realize the scope of this," Vera said. "There are a lot of reasons why students don't go to school. I had a student one time missing 90 days in school. And I found out it was because he was taking care of his little brother."
Other key findings in the study, 73 percent of parents support students taking off mental health days. In Texas, that figure is 75 percent that believe children should have mental health days.
Parents want better training for teachers on mental health awareness and more on-site mental health professionals.
To see the study, just click here.