A 9-year-old boy, Tristan King, was unenrolled from school five months ago due to his frequent absences. At the time of his removal, he had missed over 10 consecutive days of class. Maryland schools allow for such re-enrollments if a student misses more than 10 days without attending. This policy can be harsh and leaves fewer adults aware of potential trouble at home.
Last school year, public schools in Baltimore City unenrolled nearly 1,900 students, while neighboring districts followed similar patterns. Some areas have higher rates of unenrollment due to certain factors like lower student populations or family dynamics.
To combat chronic absenteeism, some districts implement personalized approaches and phone-a-thons to re-engage families. However, in Tristan’s case, despite efforts from his school social worker and administrators, he remains unenrolled.
The incident has raised questions about the policies of Maryland schools and whether they do enough to support students who face difficulties at home.
Source: https://www.thebanner.com/education/k-12-schools/tristan-king-missing-baltimore-unenrolled-school-EKBAPNP73ZG5XN3OK5CHEXS7C4