Mississippi
State Authorizes New Attendance Enforcers
Under a new law signed by Governor Ronnie Musgrove on April 17, 2000, sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, and municipal law enforcement officers are now authorized to investigate and prosecute truancy cases. Under the prior law, only the school attendance officer was authorized to file a petition in court to enforce the compulsory attendance requirements.
Home School Legal Defense Association opposed this legislation which effectively empowers law enforcement officers to perform a function which should be within the sole discretion of a prosecuting attorney. Without having a properly qualified state attorney evaluate the evidence in a truancy case before it is filed in court, families may be subjected to charges that are frivolous or intended to harass or intimidate home schoolers. — Dewitt T. Black
