Mother of truant child charged

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Mother of truant child charged

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Staff Writer

in Public Safety

Friday, March 30. 2012

Comments (11)

The Commerce Police Department arrested a local woman last week because her child had too many absences from school.

Melinda Brooke Williams, 30, 133 Ivey Street was charged with violation of the state’s compulsory attendance law after her juvenile child had 15 absences since Jan. 1, according to the arrest report.

Commerce Middle School assistant principal Audrey Andrews sought police assistance and told the officer that the student did not appear for an attendance court and that the Attendance Review Board wished to prosecute the case.

When an officer appeared at Williams’ residence, he asked her where the child was, only to be told that the child was in school. When the officer informed Williams that the child was not in school, Williams told him the child had spent the night with a friend.

The officer arrested Williams and asked her boyfriend to have the friend’s mother contact him. Later, the woman, a Maysville resident, called to report that the student was then back at school and asked if police could release Williams. The officer said she would be released if the woman paid her bond.

Other Charges

The Commerce Police Department charged the following people during the past week:

•Clarence Coley Huntsinger, 27, 754 South Broad Street, driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol, failure to maintain a lane and violation of the open container law. The officer responded to a lookout of a possibly drunk driver leaving Crestwood Village Mobile Home Park, Homer Road, and found the vehicle traveling south on South Elm Street. He followed the vehicle, which did a U-turn and proceeded north on South Broad Street, before turning into a driveway. The officer approached Huntsinger as he attempted to enter the rear door of the residence. According to the report, Huntsinger had to go back to his vehicle to retrieve his driver’s license, and as he did, the officer watched him take a container of beer from the center console and place it on the floor. He also noted the smell of alcohol from Huntsinger and that his eyes were glassy and bloodshot. Huntsinger tested positive for alcohol at the scene and back at the police station blew a .177 and .178 on the Intoxilyzer 5000. The legal limit for a DUI charge is .080.

•Stanley Bruce Palmer, 57, 304 Woodpecker Lane, Nicholson, probation violation. He was picked up from an Athens-Clarke officer at the J&J Flea Market.

•Angel Ossiel Montoya, 18, 6818 Winding Cedar Trail, Charlotte, NC, driving without a license, a window tint violation and an equipment violation after he was pulled over by an officer on Interstate 85 for a broken windshield.

•Shante Evetta Hicks, 25, 1 Hidden Chase, Apt. J, Stone Mountain, driving with a suspended license and driving with defective equipment. She was pulled over on I-85 for driving with one headlight out.

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#1 Just wondering on 03/31/12 at 07:42 PM [Reply]

Why in this day and age are we making such a big deal over a child not going to school? Don't we have bigger issues? Ohh thats right if the child misses so many days the school doesnt get paid for said child. Tell the mom if she doesnt want to send the child to school just tell them she is now homeschooling and send in monthly attendance forms easy way around the law.

#1.1 Seriously? on 04/02/12 at 07:24 AM [Reply]

Why would you have have a problem with a woman being jailed for not sending her child to school? If's not going to care about her childs future, someone needs to.

It's about time parents start getting control of their kids and teaching them how to make responsible decisions, and making those decisions for them.. until they are old enough to do it for themselves.

It's sad that we have reached a point where the law has to make parents keep their kids in school, there was a time when school was a priviledge that many didn't have.

Don't blame the 'goverment' for regulating things that people are too stupid to handle themselves.

#1.2 Diane on 04/02/12 at 08:27 AM [Reply]

Oh, sure let's have 1 more dumb kid out in the world just what this country needs. Doesn't look like this mom would be much at home schooling if she can't her kid dressed & out to school. Sorry, you're protecting the ignorant of our society & adding to the delinquency & laziness that doesn't serve anyone's best interest, mainly the child's right to be educated. Duh!

#1.3 Really? on 04/02/12 at 09:10 PM [Reply]

Wow...a parent is being held responsible for raising a child and we suggest they become a middle school dropout. No wonder we have bigger issues.... look at what kind of helpful suggestions are out here. Just saying.

#1.4 Surprised on 04/03/12 at 11:29 AM [Reply]

Why wouldn't your child need to go to school? How in this day and age do you think a child without any education is going to provide for himself? If there is a legitimate reason for a child to be absent from school the school will work with parents to help keep them from falling behind. What does a kid have to do all day if they are not in school? Get into mischief or more serious trouble. Teaching a child to quit, lie, disobey laws and rules is not a good idea. If you allow that then don't be shocked at choices they make later in life. I know of a kid whose parents said they couldn't make him go to school when he was only 14 and helped cover for him. Now he is grown, 22 yrs old, with less than an 8th grade education and no ambition. He will pick up anything you have and take it to the pawn shop and feel like that is acceptable. Our children need guidance and discipline in order to be able to care for themselves as adults.

#2 Anonymous on 04/02/12 at 03:27 PM [Reply]

Every school is getting strict on attentdance

#3 Resident on 04/03/12 at 08:55 PM [Reply]

Really! That's what is wrong with the world today. There are bigger issues to worry about but, it's one of those kids that don't attend school everyday causing the problems. Their smoking, drinking,doing drugs and stealing amongts other things. Some parents really need to grow up and take responsability instead of telling other parents easy ways to "get around the law". Grow up lady/sir!!!!!!

#4 Local Resident on 04/09/12 at 02:01 PM [Reply]

I think I was stuck behind her at the Doctor's office last week. She was trying to collect as many doctor's excuses as possible because her child missed too many days from school. I went from feeling sick, to feeling sick and horribly annoyed!

I'm glad that the parents are being forced to take responsibility for their minor children. Our taxes pay for the students to be in school - so quit wasting my money! I don't want to have to spend more money down the road on the future welfare recipient.

#5 tiffany on 04/10/12 at 07:45 PM [Reply]

i got sent a letter from commerce primary about my childs attendence after she missed under 10 days of school and i was beyond outraged,because i had a doctors excuse for almost all the days .they are just not smart enough to keep up with them. they should double check things like this before sending out threatening letters. and some children dont get medicaid or have health insurance and dont have the money because of the economy to send their child to the doctor everytime they are sick, and the school sends out letters not to send your kids to school with a fever but then they want you to go to jail when you do what they say. the state needs to come in and take some control of how things have been run ,this school has went to the dogs. i have always loved this school but i dread my kids going everyday. commerce is all about money and not the kids and it really shows.

#5.1 Kay on 04/14/12 at 10:22 PM [Reply]

~If I'm not mistaken, students can now only miss 5 days of school unexcused. I know for a fact that it used to be 10, but I'm pretty sure it's just 5 now. Did you have doctor's excuses for at least 5 of the missed days or how many, Tiffany, if you don't mind my asking that is? What did the school officials say when they were shown they were in error and that your child had in fact NOT missed over the maximum amount of days? Were you satisfied with the response they gave you or what became of it :)?

#5.1.1 Anonymous on 04/18/12 at 07:17 PM [Reply]

yes you are right they can only miss 5 days unexcused, and i did have excuses but they were misplaced so i went and got them again from the dentist and doctor, and it was a mis understanding but i wish it would have been caught before the letter because this not only upset me but scared me as well and im they type of person who worries about everything, but i had talked to someone and they made me feel better when they said that the letter automatically goes out when there is a problem , and they did make it right. things are starting to get better its not the teachers they are great with the children and i dont know the prinipal to well but she seems nice and was very good about going out of her way to help get it straightened out, its just some of the rules and the way they do some things is different from other schools but i guess they are just doing there job and following the rules of the state but i think that the attendence rules need to be redifined.

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