Published January 13, 2015
A legislator in Puerto Rico has submitted a bill that would increase fines and jail time for parents whose children skip classes or drop out of school.
Angel Munoz Suarez says fines up to $5,000 and a 12-month jail sentence are needed to reduce dropout and absenteeism rates in the U.S. territory. He also says welfare benefits should be cut as punishment.
Munoz says in a statement issued Wednesday that current law calling for a $500 fine and a six-month prison sentence is not being enforced.
School attendance in Puerto Rico is largely mandatory for all those ages 5 to 18, with a few exceptions. However, a study by the Department of Education estimates about 40 percent of public school students who enter 10th grade drop out.
https://www.foxnews.com/world/puerto-rico-legislator-seeks-to-reduce-dropout-rates-through-increased-fines-jail-time