ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, July 4, 1996 TAG: 9607050077
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-8 EDITION: HOLIDAY
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: Associated Press
The nation must do more to keep its children from cutting school, President Clinton said Wednesday, offering $10 million in grants for innovative programs to make public schools safer and keep kids there.
``The difference between success and failure in life for our children is whether they're learning on the streets or in the school where they belong,'' Clinton told 10,000 delegates of the National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers union. ``The street is not an acceptable alternative to the classroom.''
Clinton held up a new ``Manual to Combat Truancy,'' which is being sent to school districts nationwide. Developed by the Education and Justice departments, the manual is a guide to setting up programs aimed at chronic school skippers. It includes information about cities that have worked to address the problem.
In Milwaukee, attendance is taken every period in all high schools, police pick up truants and take them to counseling and parents are called at home, Clinton said. ``Daytime burglaries are down by one-third,'' he said.
In Atlantic County, N.J., families of truants receive intensive counseling, and a majority of these students opt to return to class, he said.
``In New Haven [Conn.], middle school truants go before a panel of high school students and have to sign responsibility contracts,'' Clinton said.
The Dole campaign scoffed at Clinton's presentation, saying he was talking about truancy only because his administration had failed to keep drugs out of the schools.
``There's not an American out there who doesn't agree that our kids should be in school, but this is hardly the aggressive action needed to protect our kids from the ravages of drugs,'' said deputy Dole press secretary Christina Martin.
Education Secretary Richard Riley said $10 million would be issued in the form of $300,000 to $500,000 grants this fall to 25 school districts or communities that design programs to address truancy as well as drugs, guns, bullying and other forms of trouble at school.
Teachers applauded Clinton's speech but said privately that truancy is a complex problem not easily solved by politicians.
LENGTH: Short : 49 linesby CNB