by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
Keeping students in school today will mean less violent crime in the future, State Attorney Harry Shorstein said Monday.
Shorstein said truancy was the most important crime that his office battles against.
“That may seem like a large statement,” said Shorstein. “But every study shows that truancy is the first indicator of future criminal behavior. We’re talking about crimes like drug-dealing, robbery and murder.”
Taking an initial step to keep Duval County students off the streets and at their desks, Shorstein announced an initiative Monday to publicize the importance of staying in school.
The publicity campaign, which will feature a local student’s banner design hung on city buses and in schools, has the backing of the State Attorney’s Office, Jacksonville United Against Truancy and corporate sponsors BellSouth and Burger King. The banners will highlight September as truancy awareness month.
Shorstein said it would take community coordination to combat a growing trend of unexcused student absences.
“Truancy is unacceptably high in Duval County with more than 15,000 students missing 21 days or more of school,” said Shorstein. “The State Attorney’s Office remains committed to a truancy reduction program that includes early intervention with elementary age students and holding parents accountable when their children do not attend school.
“Only through coordination with the Sheriff’s Office, Duval County Schools and the community can we reduce these very significant truancy numbers.”
Shorstein said that his office would continue to “crack down” on parents who allowed their children to skip school. He said arresting parents would be a last resort and that they would never be incarcerated. Instead, the arrests are intended to impress parents with the importance of steady attendance.
The Sheriff’s Office focused on the children last week, rounding up 190 juveniles during a Thursday truancy sweep. Shorstein said similar sweeps would follow. Habitual truancy can keep students from receiving their driver’s licenses
By focusing students on the importance of school — and the dangers of truancy — Shorstein said he hopes children will stay in school without the threat of punishment. He said the bus signs would kick off a month of activities to follow in September. Events will include a poster contest in schools and, on Sept. 27, Jacksonville United Against Truancy will sponsor an awareness event at Gateway Mall.
The banners, destined for City buses in the next two weeks, were designed as part of a Florida Community College class project. Professor Michael Nuetzel asked his Design Strategy Class to develop an anti-truancy message. He gave the class a two-week deadline. The winner said her design only took her “three or four hours.”
Kristina Mills said the winning design — an Impressionistic image of a school bus with a Stop sign jutting out its side and the caption, “Don’t miss the bus to your future,” — was intended to depict school as exciting.
“When kids see learning as a creative outlet, they get excited to come to school,” said Mills. “I tried to make the design really snazzy.”
After graduating two weeks ago from FCCJ, Mills took her current job with Chase Home Finance’s design department.