Derek Neary
Northern News Services

FORT SIMPSON (Sep 24/99) - The Fort Simpson District Education Authority (DEA) is pursuing a change to the school attendance policy that would give them the option of having parents fined if their children don't show up for school without an acceptable reason.

"We know of kids in the community that stay at home a lot -- sometimes it's parent neglect -- sometimes the kid is doing domestic stuff (like) babysitting a younger sibling," said Robert Byatt, principal of Thomas Simpson school and a member of the DEA's attendance policy committee.

The potential for a fine, up to $500, would theoretically act as an additional incentive to parents who might not otherwise send their children to school regularly, he suggested.

Attendance for students ages 15 and under is compulsory, he said, and the law allows for a fine of up to $500 for non-compliance. Byatt said the policy would primarily be applied to parents of elementary school children. Younger students are of the greatest concern, because significant absences makes it nearly impossible to catch up on the basics of education like reading and writing, he explained.

Any charges laid would require the written consent of the DEA and would be laid at their discretion, according to Byatt.

The attendance policy committee has been trying to iron-out the wrinkles in the policy, which, in order to take effect, has to be adopted by the schools, DEA and Dehcho Education Council.

"It hasn't been implemented yet," Byatt said. "We have to meet again because the legal arm of the Department of Education has given us a few little bits of information on things that have to be spruced up in our policy." At the same time, he noted, the fining regulation has been enforced for years elsewhere and there's never been a successful prosecution in the NWT to his knowledge, he said.

"Whether we'll be able to make it work or not is another question entirely," Byatt said.

There are, however, acceptable exemptions for absences from school, such as the following: sickness, by agreement with the principal to participate in traditional activities, by agreement with the principal to work for a school term, suspension or expulsion, or enrolment in a home-schooling program.

Ken Brown, the school/community counsellor, who is responsible for dealing with truancy, has suggested a positive-reinforcement program for students who do exhibit excellent attendance.

"They're the ones that never get noticed in anything. They're here, they plug away, but nobody notices," he said.

Brown said local businesses may be interested in sponsoring quarterly plaques or certificates as a reward.