Let’s Choose tackles school truancy this week

DC might criminally charge parents whose kids miss school. Is that the right approach? What else should DC do about truancy? This week, Let’s Choose DC asked the at-large candidates this question:

Last year DC Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson said that DC schools are suffering from a “truancy crisis.” The DC Council is now debating a bill that would increase penalties on parents for kids who chronically miss school. Should parents be held to account for when their kids miss school? How can DC ensure that students attend school consistently?

View responses and vote here.

Continues after the jump.

Let’s Choose DC is a partnership between PoPville, Greater Greater Washington and DCist which aims to educate voters about candidates’ positions for the April 23 race for DC Council at-large. This week, we got responses from Matthew Frumin, Perry Redd, John Settles, Elissa Silverman, and Paul Zukerberg.

John Settles has been removed from the ballot after a successful challenge to his nominating petition signatures left him short of the required number. Paul Zukerberg also faced a challenge, but survived; he denounced the process and competitor Elissa Silverman, whose supporter filed both challenges.

Sadly, Patrick Mara (who serves on the State Board of Education and has made education a significant part of his platform), Anita Bonds, and Michael Brown did not respond to the question this week.