Missouri Supreme Court Upholds Jail Time for Parents of Truant Children

The Missouri Supreme Court has upheld the convictions of two single mothers who were charged with violating the state's compulsory attendance law after their children missed school without a documented illness. The court ruled that the unexcused absences violated state law, stating that regular attendance is required and that the school's policy of 90% attendance is of little relevance. The ruling affirms the decisions of the lower courts, with one mother spending seven days in jail and the other receiving two years of probation.