More on Rockford's Quality of Life Issues

City's Mayor, Superintendent Uniting To Curb Truancy
Daytime Curfew Plan Excites City, School Leaders

Holy Cow! I bet the supt. is excited. What a money...honey pot.

Despite a decades-long background in school districts across the nation, Rockford superintendent Dr. Dennis Thompson has never seen a city-wide approach against truancy like this.
"It's an example of an outstanding, pro-active decision by the mayor to go after this, and I'm very supportive of it, and I'm also thankful that he's willing to take that kind of aggressive action to help make this a better city and get kids in school," Thompson said.

Hope Rockford residents don't just tell the mayor that this isn't a good plan. Hope they let the school district know they expect them to do their job. Chronic truants aren't hard to chase down. What's Superintendent Thompson going to do with that extra money and staff saved by what the mayor wants to spend some more of the taxpayers' money on, I wonder? Education? That'd be good. On the kids who are naturally inclined to learn with their busy brains, but can't get engaged enough in the schools there that there is a nearly nine percent truancy population this past school year? 9% seems bad enough that they must not be fudging the numbers.

The plan would fine any student under 18 up to $500, along with public service work, if caught ditching school unexcused.

Too bad. Guess they're not really into the education thing, but want those kids good and broke and too busy with community service to worry about school. $5oo brings in some big bucks for the city though. Smart move that they're taking it out of the teenagers' pocket because the voting adults might get a little peeved and do something about it, if they aren't already.

"I think we're on the same page. The city and the school district need to be partners in setting a high community standard and enforcing that standard," Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey said.

Tricks are for Kids, aren't they?

Thompson agrees with the ordinance's immediate consequences for truants caught out of school, proof that the city and its schools will say what they mean, and mean what they say.

By George! How many times my kids have giggled at me when I've tried that one.

"Especially the ones I call those casual truants, you know "I don't feel like going to school today, I'm going to hang out with my friends at XYZ place," they are going to think twice about doing that," Thompson said.

Good luck kids. Be smart. Have any of you ever watched Ferris Bueller's Day Off?

Morrissey also defends the curfew ordinance as a top city priority, arguing stronger students in class and off the streets will equal a stronger workforce for Rockford.

I dunno. The mayor isn't making it a friendly place to live, let alone visit. Maybe they'll just move away.

"They may not be the sexiest of issues, but they are the issues where upon we build a strong foundation, and if we take care of the blocking and tackling - the basics - then we'll get our share of victories," Morrissey said.

I think this guy was definitely a high school football player. Sis boom and BAH