Walker, "Express-News Editorial on Truancy is right on"

Steve Walker (photo)

Justice of the Peace, Pct. 2 Pl. 1 candidate

Express-News - Editorial (July 29th)

Truancy is a major headache for school officials, but the problem hurts everybody in the city.Express-News education writer Michelle De La Rosa laid out the devastating facts in an article published Sunday.

Almost half of Bexar County’s 300,000 students were considered at-risk for dropping out in 2006-07, she reported.

Click on link for rest of story.

Editorial: Truancy, dropouts hurting entire city

Editor's Note: Steve Walker is a retired educator who dealt with truancy for 26 years in the classroom with some modem of success. "Parents have to be actively involved in the community service for the process to work," says Walker. He agrees with the editorial that points out "Creative thinking and determination are crucial in the battle." Walker has been actively campaigning for JP on the issue to redirect students back into the educational environment.

"40 percent of a JPs job is addressing the truancy problem," says Walker. "How about trying to do things differently in the court rather than just assessing a fine that violators don't pay or meaningless community service that does not even address the problem, but makes it worse?" he concluded.