, including a Black mother named Cheree Peoples, who was arrested in April of 2013. She came on the show to help explain why this program, which initially launched without much criticism, ended up becoming so controversial, and why it disproportionately affected families of color. Here's the extended cut of our conversation, which has been edited and condensed for clarity.
[Harris] fought for this law, which raised the financial penalty and made it a criminal misdemeanor for parents, up to a year in jail, when their children missed at least 10 percent of school time. Big picture, [Peoples's case] was one of the most extreme examples of how this law was used. More broadly, what the law did was create a more standardized way for local law enforcement officials to get involved with making sure kids go to school every day.
Just hearing how this plan was conceived, it was not hard to sort of surmise who was going to get caught up in the system. It was probably going to be mothers of color, probably mothers with disabilities or mothers of children with disabilities, mothers who might be housing-insecure or who were experiencing homelessness. Is that who ended up getting tangled up in this initiative?
I think she zeroed in on this for a couple of reasons. When she was the San Francisco district attorney, she was learning things about who were the city's homicide victims and who was committing homicides. And in both cases, she found that a lot of them were high school dropouts. And that's when she started to think about truancy, because missing a lot of school is linked to dropping out of school.
It's interesting if you think about the sort of conclusion she's making. So if you don't complete high school, you have a much higher likelihood of being the victim of violent crime or to perpetrate violent crime, and to have all this contact with the criminal justice system. And she was like,
What the hell?! Do you think it's ok for kids to miss more than 10% of the school year?
If you vote for realDonaldTrump, that means you’re ok with: 1. Racism KKK 2. Proud Boys 3. Police Brutality 4. Corruption 5. Uncontrollable Pandemic & Massive Deaths 6. Declining Womens Rights 7. Voter Suppression 8. Inequality ETC What does that say about you? SERIOUSLY!!!
Hup, it's Sunday. Time for NPR's anti-Democrat hit pieces. I can set my watch by it.
Unfollowing you because of this. We have REAL issues to focus on.
Very disappointing to learn about this program and Harris's involvement.
This is what a lot of us were saying when she was rumored for VP. That it was a bad idea. That she had done terrible things. That in light of BLM she was a horrible choice. It’s too late now.
This is real face of socialism, real example of former Soviet union.
Send your kids to school? Wtf! this increased the attendance rate of schools and NO ONE ACTUALLY GOT SENT TO JAIL. This is lazy reporting and clearly biased af. The media is desperate for a horse race, they know they could lose their cash cow if trump loses.
Teelou40 IStandWithCheree ADOS
Really surprised to see any criticism of the dems coming from npr. Not surprised dems seeing this want to cover it up
wow! an anti-Harris story. how did this get past the editors?
SebasEstra16
This thread is great. People irate because NPR has a single opposing article. One user calls it a “circular firing squad.” Translation: “NPR, you’re liberal like us, wtf?” Unreal.
saharazizlaw National Petroleum Radio
The facts that Harris true nature was harsh on the African American males in California is not going away look at the record!!!
She knew exactly what the consequences would be. She's a fucking COP. Lets have a conversation about how many POCs woke up in a cell this morning because her drug policies now.
Again, what the fuck are you doing, ?
This was the INTENDED consequence of this law. Dint be fooled.
My kid was sick a lot and I got truancy letters. They give you a million chances. It’s not a deal. It’s just an excuse to hate on Harris.
Npr republicans
You’re not helping
'Unintended'
At some point, we have enough laws, bureaucracies and government programs, that the only consequences of new ones, will be negating. But politicians need to keep trying to justify their 'value', so negative consequences be damned. Maybe try repealing a few here and there.
Meanwhile, she let bankers off the hook for illegally foreclosing on mortgages.
at 12 go on line get a college degree in 18 months forget freezing your eggs 70000 student loan debt kamala limited trump/biden limited
Seriously? This is what you're reporting, while Trump is calling for a Governor to be locked up! You are on the list of IDFWYNM, with NBC.
Best statement in the article: '...when you use the criminal justice system to solve social problems, you will criminalize people no matter how good your intentions were.'
Do better NPR.
She has been a disaster for the poor and people of color..unless you like to be cheap prison labor..then she is great for you
Getting out of bed in the morning has unintended consequences.
Quien es Kamala Harris en verdad? ¿Quién es Kamala Harris? Compañera de fórmula de Joe Biden
Is this the Comey Rule? Fucking rehashing this garbage days before the election.
Guys u know what the stakes are here. Its not about educating voters right now
Wow NPR. 1, this is old news. 2, what the hell are you doing?
Oh please.
I get the concept. Truancy is a problem and some parents don't push the issue of getting to school. Accountability was needed.. Unfortunate that it was used as a political tool...the wrong way.
Kamala Harris and her running mate Joe Biden are frauds. It is time for truth and honesty to make a delayed entrance in to the 2020 campaign. President Trump has been savaged for four plus years. Biden needs to be asked and answers need to be demanded. Who in media has a spine?
DefundNPR
Let's talk about Pence's third-world HIV outbreak while governor of Indiana.
Why pick an obvious example of a really sick kid as being the face of chronic truancy? Pointless. Use stats to break down preventable truants from those that should be excused absences. Then, highlight a slacker & his or her parents. Describe their day. Weed smoked. Naps, etc.
Really interesting study on the adverse effects of using the criminal justice system to solve social issues. In my law practice years, I was always aware of the limitations of the legal system in solving ethical or moral problems (I,e., what was legal was not necessarily moral).
npr really?
Here’s the thing. Both sides are vying for power over “we the people”. One side is the best option right now if we want to maintain our democracy. Then we start to hold our politicians accountable. Never again shall we be complicit.
What are you trying to do npr, have a late October impact on voters like that idiot fbi director did by announcing he’s “reopening investigation“ on Hillary. This story couldn’t be published when she was running for Dem nomination? Or November 10th?
She DID VERY BAD. SHIWES HER WRING JUDGEMEBT. FIRCUBG ABD PUTTING OARENTS IN JAIL FIR ABSENTY?! WOW IT US BARBARIC
This was an extremely terrible program! Kids were constantly bringing every illness imaginable to school. It forced vulnerable children to have to be homeschooled. It was dangerous and unfair. It was all about the money.
GeeDee215 this is a weak attempts both sides. Shame on you.
Seriously, why this story now? Is it really that relevant considering what we are facing?
More circular firing squad. I love NPR -- but this is irrelevant nonsense. Rome is burning and you're contemplating the length on your extra toga.
Hey intern... 🚮 She didn't kill 200k people. 🤷🏽♀️ vote
So we are at that point in trumps collapse that even the best hidden republican loving journalists are piling on. We see you.
btch
Dont care! If this is the only crap you have on her, stop trying, she is amazing so fuck off and watch Trump get his ass kicked November 3rd
Now do you have any blockbusters about the trump admin ties to the Kremlin? After all, you’re really into false equivalency.
She has always had good intentions!
Check your “both sides” box and pat yourself on the back, but know that it is this shit right here that got him elected in the first place (holding the Dems to higher standards) and resulted in 200K dead Americans.
Put the parents in jail. Don’t have to read further.
NPR you are better than this.
Cool. Now in all fairness . Write one of these for all the unintended / intended consequences this administration has had.
look at all these poc she locked up
If by unintended you mean horrific for families of color, particularly single moms who were paraded to jail in front of their kids, all while Senator Harris laughed at them, sure, 'unintended.' 🙄
by locking up their parents if the kids were truant
Yeah we know .....Next
Sometimes plans to make things better fail. Learn from them. Failure is the greatest teacher to those who are driven to succeed.
Khive about to add NPR to a block list
In short, she wanted to advance her political career by making look like shes fixing some problem by throwing poor people under the bus and not actually doing anything to fix the issu...that can basically be used to sum up her entire career
'unintended' lol
I’d rather talk about The WHO denouncing COVID lockdowns as a valid method of controlling the virus. Kamala Harris is a cop, she will always be a cop. Nobody even voted for her in the primaries, and she’ll end up as president. That’s how broke our democracy is.
Yeah, too many variables, unintended consequences. She learned.
I wouldn't call it 'unintended consequences' she knew very well what she was doing.
How about the prison industrial record?