CFCC’s Truancy Court Program Makes a Difference

By Joanna Choi, CFCC Student Fellow (2018-2019) The parking lot was filled with parents kissing children goodbye, waving as they left.  I walked through the bright halls of Mount Royal Elementary/Middle School, with children carrying colorful backpacks, strolling to the right and left of me.  The walls were covered with various art projects, motivational slogans,…

My Experience with the Truancy Court Program through the Sayra and Neil Meyerhoff Center for Families, Children and the Courts

By Emily Rondholz, CFCC Intern from the University of Baltimore Criminal Justice Program   Last Spring, I attended a mandatory internship fair at the University of Baltimore, designed to help Criminal Justice majors secure internships that are required for graduation. I truly did not know what to expect.  I imagined there would be a myriad…

What is the Truancy Court anyway?

By Juliette Spencer, CFCC Student Fellow 2015-2016 As a Student Fellow at the Sayra and Neil Meyerhoff Center for Families, Children and the Courts (“CFCC”), I have had the privilege of conducting research to assist the parents and students involved with CFCC’s Truancy Court Program (TCP), people who are directly affected by the public school…

Vigilance without Vigilantism: Duty in Truancy Courts

By Kayla Faria, CFCC Student Fellow 2015-2016 Founded on a bedrock of therapeutic jurisprudence, some truancy courts are aimed to solve problems and address truant behavior, but – like so much of our justice system – this underlying theoretical foundation crumbles without practical vigilance. These courts can facilitate a transformative space that transcends the school-to-prison pipeline…

Homelessness and Truancy Court Program Families

By: Katie Davis, TCP Attorney CFCC’s Truancy Court Program (TCP) has encountered unprecedented numbers of families in Baltimore City who are struggling with unstable housing and homelessness. While there are many challenges for those dealing with homelessness, most families do not realize that they are eligible for certain public benefits, including federally-mandated services for their…

Truancy and “Absentee” Parents: An Anecdotal Comparison from the Parenting Trenches

By Brittany Strickland, CFCC Student Fellow 2014-2015 During a recent Truancy Court Program (“TCP”) team meeting, some law students expressed frustration about the lack of parental involvement in the Truancy Court Programs. Ideally parents should be at the table to discuss truancy with the TCP team and their child each week. After working with students…