Truancy

An effort to stanch truancy in the public schools gets under way today, with Philadelphia police taking on the role of hooky officers. Any public school student on the streets during school hours must be in the company of a parent or guardian or have written permission to be out of school. Otherwise, police will escort the student back to school. If the student is far from his or her home school, the student will be taken to the nearest age-appropriate school or to a newly opened truancy-intervention center at Palumbo Elementary School, 11th and Catharine Streets, in South Philadelphia.

It's too early to declare victory over truancy in Philadelphia's 259 schools. But a mild "hurrah" is in order over the recent successes of a sweeping campaign to boost attendance. The school district, city courts, SEPTA and city police should keep pressuring hooky-playing youths. The agencies' joint efforts resulted in a 2 percent increase in average daily attendance, or about 4,000 more pupils in class, from 1995-96 to 1997-98, with officials predicting similar increases this year.

A group of towns, schools and law-enforcement officials in Lower Bucks County is crafting a daytime curfew law in an effort to reduce truancy and juvenile crime. The measure, which would take effect in April, is expected to be introduced in several towns and school districts within the next several weeks. "Youngsters who are caught out of class during school-time hours will be issued citations and immediately be taken back to their schools," said Bill Ford, Bucks County's chief juvenile probation officer.

Police on patrol here usually concentrate their efforts on apprehending serious offenders. Lately, however, some off-duty Chester officers have been targeting a different group of miscreants: truant students. The police are part of the Chester Upland School District Truancy Intervention and Turnaround program. During the school day, they cruise the streets in city patrol cars, accompanied by school district employees who interview wayward students once the officers have stopped and searched them.

Advice for would-be Ferris Buellers: Don't take your day off in Bensalem. Township police and school officials say they have zero tolerance for those who skip school. And starting this week, officers will start formal roundups of truants. The principal's office will be the drop-off point. "If kids don't come to school, they can't learn," said Patrick Lyons, assistant principal at Bensalem High School. "We're trying to make a point of the importance of attending school.

IT'S TOO EARLY to know what impact the loss of $21 million in after-school and truancy-prevention programs will have on the city, following Mayor Nutter's announcement last week that he was cutting that amount from Philadelphia Safe & Sound's budget. And until the state Department of Public Welfare completes its audit of the agency, it's too early for anyone to guess which programs will be restored, reduced or eliminated. But it's not too early to say this: what a mess. Former Mayor John Street, eager to stamp out truancy and prevent violence, gave a $75 million contract to Safe and Sound, a private agency that channels many city dollars to social-services providers.

Yo. You youngsters skipping school to hang out at the mall. The police may soon be allowed to ticket you, your parents and the store that allows you inside during school hours. Just like a car parked at a hydrant - only it'll cost more. Get caught once, and you could get a $100 fine. Do it again, $250. Do it a third time, $300. The proposed truancy code was introduced yesterday in City Council by Councilman Michael A. Nutter. The bill would amend the city's curfew law to include sanctions for truants.

A group of Lower Bucks County school districts and municipalities have joined forces to tackle juvenile crime by combating truancy. It's a wise decision, for antitruancy efforts nationwide that unite educators, police, clergy, parents and business leaders have proven effective in getting kids back in school and off the streets. It began last fall, when the Bucks County commissioners appointed the county's Juvenile Crime Enforcement Coalition to crack down on juvenile crime and truancy in the lower part of the county.

Aliyia Jones, 16, sat stunned as the judge read the verdict. "Dag! . . . Daag! . . . Daaaag!" the Camden teenager exclaimed, her jaw dropping. Her friend and classmate Lakeba Turner, also 16, shared her consternation. They were reacting to what they considered the harsh verdict of Municipal Court Judge James Faison in a case involving a Camden mother of seven who had been hauled before the court because her children had played hooky. The judge, ignoring the woman's pleas that she was unable to raise seven children with no help from her "ex," found her guilty of eight counts of truancy - a verdict that carried a possible jail sentence.

Paul P. Panepinto has made helping at-risk children his priority in his three years as administrative judge of Philadelphia Family Court. Next week he will receive some deserved kudos. On Tuesday, the judge will receive the Marvin E. Wolfgang Award of the Juvenile Justice Center of Pennsylvania for his support of collaborative programs among the courts, schools and Department of Human Services. Programs launched on his watch include the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers, the model court and four satellite truancy courts.