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In high school I was a profligate class cutter mostly due to a blossoming drug and alcohol problem.  I know that fines to my parents probably would have had little effect on my behavior because I simply didn't care about what they wanted me to do.  The fact that they were responsible enough to house me and keep me fed and with a roof over my head should not have exposed them to civil penalties for my behavior.  I might have felt bad about my parents being fined, but I also felt bad when I stole money from them or injured myself causing them to incur medical costs.  Further, most of my class cutting friends were the children of broken homes of lower economic status whose parents could not afford fines for their children's class cutting.  

My thoughts are:

1)  If it can be shown that the parent is responsible for the absence of younger children, or children who would otherwise attend school, perhaps they SHOULD be fined.  

2)  This plan is inconsistent.  Do we fine the parents of children who drop out?  

3)  Why should a parent be responsible for a child's behavior, if the parent has no control over the child?  Will there be a a defense available to the parents?  

posted 3 years, 2 months ago
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