Court Opinion

ID: 9773075
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 17:36:08.154281+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:49.913345
License: Public Domain

PREWITT, Judge,
dissenting.
In my view the convictions should be affirmed on one of two grounds: (1) that home instruction is an exception to compulsory school attendance under § 167.031; that it is not an essential part of the offense, and the burden of showing it should be on defendants; or (2) that even if home instruction is not an exception, the burden of showing that it was given should be on the parents as the state should not have to prove a negative averment peculiarly within defendants’ knowledge.
The emphasis § 167.031 and its companion sections put on school attendance convince me that any other type of education should be considered as an exception. Giving the parent an option by using “or” after the language requiring school attendance, does not change my view. We should not determine the intention of the legislature based on a single word. The intention of the legislature will prevail over the literal sense of the terms used. State v. Shell, 571 S.W.2d 798, 800 (Mo.App.1978).
“The rule of strict construction is not violated by according the language used by the legislature its full meaning in support of the policy and aim of the enactment. The rule does not compel a narrow or forced construction, out of harmony with the manifest purpose and intent of the statute . . . State v. Ballard, 294 S.W.2d 666, 669 (Mo.App.1956). Section 167.031 and its related sections are primarily directed at school attendance. Instruction at home is an unusual circumstance and should be an exception to compulsory school attendance. I think the holdings of State v. Pilkinton, 310 S.W.2d 304 (Mo.App.1958), and State v. Cheney, 305 S.W.2d 892 (Mo.App.1957), are incorrect.
However, it is not necessary to reach the issue in those cases to determine this appeal. They both held that an information charging a failure to keep a child in attendance at school must also charge that the child did not receive instructions at home. That was alleged here. Who must prove such allegation was not an issue in either case. Even if Pilkinton and Cheney are correct, this does not require that the state prove all necessary allegations. The majority relies on the general principle that the state has the burden of proof of all essential elements of a criminal offense. However, there is substantial authority that this is not applicable where the state is required to allege a negative averment peculiarly within the knowledge of the defendant. The proof of a positive act of wrongdoing is much different than that of a negative averment, particularly one which must necessarily occur in the defendants’ home. The question before us should not be controlled by determining if home instruction is an exception. A negative averment in an information, that lies particularly within the knowledge of the defendant, is treated the same.
Where the subject matter of a negative averment, or a fact relied on by an accused as a justification or excuse, relates to him personally or otherwise lies peculiarly within his knowledge, the general rule is that the burden of proof as to such averment or *193fact is on defendant. 22A C.J.S. Criminal Law § 571, p. 315. Missouri courts have followed this rule and held that when it is required that an information allege a negative averment which lies peculiarly within the knowledge of the defendant, it is taken as true unless disproved by defendant. State v. Miller, 182 Mo. 370, 81 S.W. 867, 873-874 (1904); State v. Zehnder, 182 Mo. App. 176, 168 S.W. 666, 667 (1914).
In re Winship, 397 U.S. 358, 90 S.Ct. 1068, 25 L.Ed.2d 368 (1970), cited in the majority opinion does not reach the question before us. Neither does Patterson v. New York, 432 U.S. 197, 97 S.Ct. 2319, 53 L.Ed.2d 281 (1977), but it recognizes certain exceptions or qualifications to the general statement in Winship. Akin to the present situation was this comment in Patterson :
“To recognize at all a mitigating circumstance does not require the State to prove its nonexistence in each case in which the fact is put in issue, if in its judgment this would be too cumbersome, too expensive, and too inaccurate” [432 U.S. at 209, 97 S.Ct. at 2326].
The language in school attendance statutes may differ, but the purpose is likely the same. In People v. Levisen, 404 Ill. 574, 90 N.E.2d 213, 215, 14 A.L.R.2d 1364, 1367 (1950), the court stated that those who would prefer to educate their children at home under the Illinois statute “have the burden of showing that they have in good faith provided an adequate course of instruction . . .” This burden does not violate parents’ constitutional rights. Scoma v. Chicago Board of Education, 391 F.Supp. 452, 462 (N.D.Ill.1974). In New Jersey it was held that the parents must introduce evidence that the child was receiving equivalent instruction elsewhere than at public school, if they wish to rely on that as a defense. State v. Vaughn, 44 N.J. 142, 207 A.2d 537, 540 (1965). The court there stated that if the state must prove this, it “would be saddled with a fairly impossible task, for it would be obligated to prove a negative proposition in circumstances in which the area of disproof is extremely wide” and where the facts “would necessarily be peculiarly with the knowledge of the party to be charged”. Id.
Here the child was regularly enrolled in school but frequently absent. In People v. Y. D. M., 593 P.2d 1356, 1360 61 (Colo. banc 1979), it was held proper for a child to have the burden to show that absences from school were excused as these facts are uniquely within the knowledge of the child and its parents or custodian. The court further stated:
“To obligate the People to present evidence to disprove every asserted justification for absence from school would be ‘too cumbersome, too expensive and too inaccurate.’ Patterson v. New York, 432 U.S. 197, 209, 97 S.Ct. 2319, 2326, 53 L.Ed.2d 281, 291 (1977); see also State v. Vaughn, 44 N.J. 142, 207 A.2d 537 (1965). Moreover, it would require that the People prove a negative in situations where a thorough investigation could unearth no evidence. Fundamental fairness to the child does not require us to impose on the People an obligation to perform an impossible or futile task.”
If the child does not attend school, the Missouri statute requires that the parent provide instruction at home “which shall, in the judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, be at least substantially equivalent to the instruction given ... in the day schools in the locality . .” We should assume that the legislature had some purpose in asserting the language requiring the approval of a court of competent jurisdiction. Obviously a court having jurisdiction would be essential to any valid criminal prosecution and there would be no point in inserting this language unless it had reference to some other proceeding. I think this means that the parents could seek a determination if their home instruction is sufficient by applying to a court of competent jurisdiction before a criminal action is brought. It seems fair that they should have a way to get a determination without risking any criminal penalty. The reference to “court of competent jurisdiction” in subparagraph (2) would so infer there. If the parents apply to a court to show proper *194home instruction, they would have the burden of showing it sufficient. If they had that burden in such a situation, then I think that burden should remain with them in the defense of a criminal prosecution. This language could also be interpreted as requiring parents to get a court’s favorable determination before a child could be withheld from school. Providing for, even if not requiring, the parents to seek prior court action approving home instruction, indicates further to me that the burden of showing home instruction should fall on the parents. This unusual provision also fortifies my belief that home instruction is treated as an exception, were we compelled to reach that question.
I think the burden here is too onerous for us to believe that the legislature intended that it be on the state. That would be an impractical result. If the child is not attending school, then he has to receive this instruction “at home”. What occurred in defendants' home would likely be within the occupants’ knowledge alone. Even where instructions were not attempted, the state would often be unable to prove instructions were not given. If instructions were attempted, particularly by the parents, it could be unduly difficult, or impossible for the state to prove the requirements of the statute regarding home instruction. Only those who had custody of the child or were giving him instruction would normally have sufficient information to present to the court for it to determine if there were “regular daily instructions during the usual school hours ... at least substantially equivalent to the instruction given children of like age in the day schools in the locality . . . The child and the parents might be the only ones who would know. They could not be compelled to discuss home instruction by those investigating the child’s nonattendance. The child might be incompetent to testify, but even if able to, would unlikely be able to detail the instruction with such specificity as to be of much aid to the court in this difficult determination. Requiring the state to make such proof might often make it unable to enforce the school attendance law.
While I view the primary purpose of § 167.031 to be compulsory school attendance, with exceptions, certainly the overall purpose of this section is not less than to insure that all children who are able to learn be educated. The state has established and recognized schools for this purpose and I think it only reasonable that if the parents wish to educate their children in another manner, that they have the burden of showing that this method of education is in compliance with the statute. I do not believe the language of the statute or any principle of law compels us to find otherwise. I would affirm the convictions.