Mich. Lawmaker Wants to Yank Driver's Licenses for Truant Teens

By Gerowen
in Real World News

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Grand Master

Gerowen

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Thinking about cutting class in Michigan? Make sure you know someone with whom you can hitch a ride.
 
A state representative wants to revoke driver?s licenses for chronically absent students as part of an initiative to cut down on truancy.
 
State Rep. Andy Schor, D-Lansing, introduced two bills last week that would alert Michigan?s secretary of state ? who oversees the issuance of licenses ? whenever a student?s truancy gets so severe that his or her school refers the matter to court. The student?s license would be suspended or withheld for six months under the proposed law.
 
?There?s truant, and then there?s chronically truant,? Schor told FoxNews.com Thursday night. ?This is for the worst offenders.?
 
Schor, who served in the Department of Education under President Clinton and later worked on education matters, including truancy, as an aide to Michigan representatives, said the idea occurred to him earlier this year when the state House of Representatives passed a bill to withhold welfare from parents whose children didn?t attend class.
 
Schor opposed that law, arguing that parents only had so much control in making sure their children sat in class. But in banning students? driver?s licenses, the state would be penalizing the teens themselves.
 
The bills have already garnered a half-dozen Republican cosponsors, Schor said, and he hopes to get a hearing on them early in 2014.
 
As for whether teens who consistently skip class would be inclined to follow the rules on driving without a license, Schor said he can?t compel wayward youths to be lawful.
 
?People know the consequences, and they?ll make that decision for themselves,? Schor said. ?I can?t stop anybody from breaking the law.?

 

 
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Grand Master

compl3x

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Seems fine. Driving isn't a guaranteed right, perhaps we should extend it to adults who constantly break the law. Replace or augment community service with having your license revoked.

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Grand Master

compl3x

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Seems fine, though parents should be doing this themselves without needing government intervention. We all know that won't happen though.

 

 

Parents can hardly sit in their kids class ensuring they turned up. My parents did their best to make sure I attended school everyday but I ditched class every so often.

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Grand Master

Rippleman

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Unfortunately, this won't solve much.  First, people drive all the time on suspended licenses. And, even if a kid gets caught nothing will happen to him/her.

guess since people don't listen anyways, why even bother with laws and licensing at all then, scrap it all then! /s

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Mentor

i_was_here

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I understand the reason, but it seems like the consequence (revoked license) is completely unrelated to being truant. You could be the best driver in the world but your license gets revoked for skipping too much school?

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Grand Master

Tha Bloo Monkee

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I don't think your ability to drive should be reliant on whether or not you go to school.  One has nothing to do with the other.  Imagine if being late for work was a reason to take your license away?  Sounds ridiculous, right?

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Grand Master

The Evil Overlord

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Sounds like a good idea, something to lose, might make some think twice, I know I'd starve, and definitely have to look for another career if I lost mine

I obey the laws and highway code, but I have to, as truck drivers always get the shaft in a collision situation, (unless one can prove no fault)

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Grand Master

DocM

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Unfortunately, this won't solve much. First, people drive all the time on suspended licenses. And, even if a kid gets caught nothing will happen to him/her.

You don't know Michigan.

First suspension: 1 year

Second suspension: 5 years

In neither case is the license certain to be restored. The Secretarty of State must be convinced the behaviors or circumstances have changed. Lifetime revokations are possible, and driving under one can get you escalating jail rime.

Also, minors who have done something serious with a vehicle like property damage, a DUI, injuring or killing someone can be tried as adults and face the same penalties. A vehicular homicide here can bring a 2nd degree murder charge. Michigan has convicted 11 year olds of 1st degtee murder.

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Grand Master

compl3x

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I understand the reason, but it seems like the consequence (revoked license) is completely unrelated to being truant. You could be the best driver in the world but your license gets revoked for skipping too much school?

 

 

Who says a punishment has to be directly related to the type of crime? A penalty is supposed to inflict some level of inconvenience or deprivation of a freedom.

 

There was a suggestion here recently that revoking licenses could be used as a punishment for non-driving related offences but some people opposed it because they said it would "inconvenience" the criminal to be without a license. Incredible.

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Grand Master

Rohdekill

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You don't know Michigan.

First suspension: 1 year

Second suspension: 5 years

In neither case is the license certain to be restored. The Secretarty of State must be convinced the behaviors or circumstances have changed. Lifetime revokations are possible, and driving under one can get you escalating jail rime.

Also, minors who have done something serious with a vehicle like property damage, a DUI, injuring or killing someone can be tried as adults and face the same penalties. A vehicular homicide here can bring a 2nd degree murder charge. Michigan has convicted 11 year olds of 1st degtee murder.

I'm assuming you mean 1st time your license is suspended, it is suspended for one year.  Second time, for five years.  But as I pointed out, people STILL drive with a suspended license.  According to blotter reports all over my state, this happens a lot and most receive a citation ( a ticket )  or, basically a slap on the wrist.  Just telling someone they aren't allowed to drive doesn't necessarily mean they will listen or obey.

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GUNNER

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Most kids don't care about a license nowadays. :( I have 4 teenage boys and not a one has bothered to ask for one. Two 16 and two 17. I asked them but I geuss it gets in the way of ther video games :s.

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Grand Master

trag3dy

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I understand the reason, but it seems like the consequence (revoked license) is completely unrelated to being truant. You could be the best driver in the world but your license gets revoked for skipping too much school?

 

The idea is that if the kids have a car that will make it easier for them to leave school or not go at all. Take away the car and they won't have that excuse to not be in school.

 

It has nothing to do with how good of a driver they are.

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