Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1922-08-18
THE THREE NEW SCHOOL
LAWS.
/. Compulsory Attendance.


or tie three new school laws pass
ed by the last General Assembly and
designed for the improvement of the
Public schools the most important
one is the Compulsory Attendance
Law. Briefly, this law requires every
person in the state of Virginia who
has charge of a child, or children, to
SEND the child, or childen, to school
AT TIE BEGINNING OF THE
SCHOOL which the child attends,
and continue to send the child REG
ULARLY during the time the school
is in session, within the limits set
forth below. Note that the burden is
on the parent or guardian rather
than on the child. The law doesn't
say the child is required to GO to
school, as we commonly express it,
but says that the parent or guardian
must SEND the child to school.
Compulsory attendance begins mt the
beginning of the session, so chill
drcn can not he kept Mt home the
inst part of the session, rs is so fire.
qucntly done, for ONE excuse or an
other, but must be Mt school the first
day of school. Parents and guardians
are warned that if the child is not
present ut the opening Of school said
parents or guardians are then at once
liable to fine under the law. The law
applies to all children who hnve
reached the eighth birthday and
shall not have passud the fourteenth
birthday. The provisions of the law
do not apply to children who have
completed the prescribed elementary
course of study. if they are regular
ly and lawfully employed. Children
completing the prescribed elementary
course of study before reaching the
age of fourtec& must, under the
law, go to high school or go to work.
The law does not apply TO children
living more than two miles from the
| school they should attend or more
than one mile from the road along
winch public transportas is pro-
vidcd. Nor to children physically or
OF the school. Any person claiming
this exemption for II child must pre.
sent the child to the division SUPER
intcndcnt to be examined both phys-
ically and mentally as specified by
the law and secure written certifi-
cate to present to the teacher. S,Any
parent or guardian failing to send a
child to school undc.r this act. or any
person having control of n child
making false statement of the nee
OF the child coming under this act
with the intent to evade the provis-
IONS OF the act, or any person who
induces or attempt to induce any
enid to be absent from school or
who knowingly employs or harbors
while school is in session any child
absent unlawfuIly from school. or
any person who commits any ofrense
under this act for which no specific
penalty is provided herein, shall be
guilty of misdemennor and on CON-
viction shall be fined not less than
twenty-five dollars 1t is the duty of
all attorneys for the Commonwealth
to prosecute cases arising under tho
provision of this act. Within fifteen
dovs after the opening of school each
principal teachers shall report to the
DIVISION Superintendent the names
OF all pupils enrolled in the school
giving age, grade, and name and adj
dress of parent or guardian, and al
so Inst giving to the best of his in
formation the names Of all children
not IN school under the provisions
OF the law. The law shall then be
enforced by the Division Superinten-
uenL or Attendance Officer, # one
snail be appointed. The sheriff, all
magistrates, constables, police, In
fact, all public officials, are expected
to aid In the enforcement of this
law If any parent or guardian per
mts Or allows a child to be obaent
uniawfully FIVE DAYS or its eoni-
valent in any school month said M.
rent or guardian becomes liable IN.
DER the law. In case any pupil has
, become habitually truant, Or become
OF irregular attendance, or miscon-
quot, has become q menace to the
pest interests of the school, it sbnIl
be the duty of the attendance officer
70 report such fact and condition TO
, the parent or guardian, who shaIl
be held liable under the provisions
OIL this act for the regular sattend-