Miss School Lose Your Cash

A bill was approved today by the Michigan Senate which would reduce welfare cash for a family if a student is constantly missing school.

According to an article in Mlive.com the bill which is nicknamed the "parental responsibility act," would allow Michigan to suspend Family Independence Program assistance if a child was constantly truant.

Sound like a good idea to you?

Will it harm the child in the end, if the parent is so irresponsible that they do not ensure their child is in school?

Some children just cannot be forced to go to school some say, then what?

The bill states if the child is younger than 16 the entire family could lose their welfare cash.  If the child is older than 16, the child would be taken from the family and the family would still continue to receive their welfare cash.

The proponents of the bill say their goal is to make sure the children are in school, not to reduce welfare.

I believe this is a great goal and we will see if this would motivate parents to get their children to school.  We have to try something, do we not?

The bill passed the Republican-led Senate in a 26-12 vote and now heads back to the House for concurrence.

One of the opponents of the bill Sen. Coleman Young II, D-Detroit was quoted in the article as saying:

"This is not about helping poor people. This is about kicking people while they're down. It's wrong. It's disgusting. It needs to stop."

Apparently DHS will have leeway with these families on a case by case basis.

What are your thoughts?

Good idea, bad idea?

Should we at least try it?

Let’s discuss this tomorrow (Wednesday) on my show The Live with Renk  show, which airs Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to noon, to let me know your thoughts at (269) 441-9595.

Or please feel free to start a discussion and write your thoughts in the comment section.