Kamala Harris Spins Facts on Truancy Law
Sen. Kamala Harris acknowledges that a 2010 state truancy law she sponsored resulted in some parents being jailed. But she misleadingly claims that jailing parents was an “unintended consequence” of the law.
In fact, the law added Section 270.1 to the California Penal Code to allow prosecutors to fine and/or jail a parent “who has failed to reasonably supervise and encourage the pupil’s school attendance.” Under the law, which was signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Sept. 30, 2010, a parent could face up to a year in jail and $2,000 fine. The law took effect in 2011.
Harris, a Democratic candidate for president, was San Francisco District Attorney from 2004 to 2011. As district attorney, she launched a three-stage program to lower the San Francisco United School District’s truancy rates in 2006. If the first two stages — education and intervention — failed, then parents could be prosecuted.
