Goldsboro Getting Tough on Truants

GOLDSBORO — In every school, in every state, truancy is something teachers would like to end. Thanks to some recent changes, Goldsboro students who skip school may have to answer to more than their parents.

It's an age-old problem that teachers and principals have battled for generations. But truancy is also a problem for students like Juanita Mallory who do go to class.

Listen toaufile."When students don't come to class and they're not in class to understand exactly what's going on in class, the teacher has to take out time to explain things to them and sometimes they take it out of class time."So now school leaders at Goldsboro High, with help from local police, are doing whatever it takes to make sure students are in class where they belong.

Officers have agreed to question any students not in school, and bring them back to campus if they are skipping.

School administrators are also working with social service organizations to stay open later so students can get things like health check-ups after school.

Teacher Al Hall says the get-tough policy is about making students accountable for their performance.

Listen toaufile."As you well know, we have what we call end-of-course testing for all of our math classes, and since that being the case, my students must be here on a regular basis in order for them to know what's required of them that they must master."Teachers and administrators hope higher attendance will boost end-of-year testing, and give every student a better shot at making the grade.