Baltimore City wants to make businesses enforce truancy laws?

Posted by Jeff Quinton on April 14, 2008

A Baltimore City Councilwoman wants to ban restaurant and stores from serving students before school.

Currently, businesses are not allowed to wait on students unaccompanied by a parent or adult from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on school days or risk a fine of up to $500 fine. The bill proposed by Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke would start the ban at 7:30 a.m.

School officials say the measure would help ensure students get to school on time, adding that students won’t go hungry because breakfast is served free at school.

Merchants say getting to school on time should be the responsibility of students and their families.