At hearing on school safety and absenteeism, Councilman Stokes floats a youth curfew
BALTIMORE - A City Council hearing was held Thursday night, with multiple agencies present, to discuss how better to serve the students of Baltimore City as they head into another school year.
Among those present, Baltimore City Public Schools CEO Dr. Sonja Santelises, Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison, Dr. Letitia Dzirasa of Baltimore City's Health Department and representatives from the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office.
The main issues discussed: school violence and absenteeism.
"We're seeing an increase in chronic absenteeism this past year of 20%, you can say it's a crisis, an emergency, but it's a challenge," said Santelises.
City Councilman Mark Conway said 85% of the youth homicide victims from 2016 to 2020 were chronically absent from school.
The pandemic only pulled some children away from school and into jobs, Santelises said.
"They found out, quite frankly, I can make money," she said.
City Councilman Robert Stokes broached the idea of a curfew for teens 17 years old and younger.
"Our young people that's out in the street, 2 o'clock 3 o'clock in the morning, and at 17 years old, and then they're not going to school," he said.
A youth curfew was tried back in 2014, when children were picked up and taken to recreation and city centers. Another was implemented in the summer of 2018, when children were picked up and taken home.
"In theory, it makes sense and there's broad support, it really is the implementation," said Santelises.
And other agencies flagged its feasibility.
"The issue becomes how to enforce it, who is responsible for the care of the person, the police officer, do we have a facility to bring them to that is not a penal facility or a jail and who are the employees inside of that facility," said Harrison.
Stokes, chair of the Education, Workforce, and Youth Committee, said this is the first of more meetings.
