Police set sights on 'lazy' parents

Kevin Raynes

At least 10 Rotorua parents are to be prosecuted for failing to make sure their children are at school.

Rotorua police are getting tough on truants, saying it's time parents were held accountable.

Constable Kevin Raynes, Rotorua police's truancy officer, said some parents were "lazy".

A police officer for 10 years - seven working with youth - Mr Raynes estimated Rotorua has one of the highest truancy rates in New Zealand.

"What has surprised me is how lazy parents are here at taking responsibility for their kids."

Police sent about 100 parents letters at the end of last year warning they would be prosecuted under the Education Act if they did not get tough on their children.

Mr Raynes said about 10 parents, possibly more, had done nothing since the letters were posted.

Each school day in Rotorua about 1000 students are absent. Mr Raynes estimated about half of those did not have a legitimate excuse.

The dangers of having so many youngsters wandering around the city or hanging out with fellow truants were obvious, Mr Raynes said.

"Our top 10 youth offenders are all truants who are not even enrolled at schools ... Truants tend to start out with wilful damage or disorder then that leads on to burglaries and robberies. When they are not at school, sometimes an opportunity to commit crime just presents itself."

But not all truants were criminals. Mr Raynes said some parents purposely kept their children from school either for company, to do household chores or to babysit younger siblings.

"Parents are increasingly becoming lazy and passing on their responsibilities. They are throwing up their arms and saying they don't care what their children are doing."

Mr Raynes said parents who knew their children were not going to school were neglecting their child's wellbeing.

"Children are entitled to an education, whether their parents like it or not."

However, he said police were aware of some parents who tried their best to get their troubled children to school by walking them through the front gates. "It's not their fault the children then just walk straight out the back gates."

Parents found guilty face a maximum fine of $150 and a further fine of $400 if they are prosecuted a second time.

Mr Raynes said parents should ask for help from agencies, rather than just let their children's education slide.

As part of the crackdown on truants, truancy officers and the police are doing sweeps of the central business district. Members of the public are being encouraged to ring police and schools if they see truanting youngsters.

Police have a list of the city's top 50 truants, whom they visit regularly.

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)