Walhalla woman faces truancy charges.

Walhalla woman faces truancy charges.

SCOTTVILLE — Scottville Police Department has obtained an arrest warrant for a 44-year-old Walhalla woman for two counts of truancy involving a student from Mason County Central Schools. “The warrant was issued after multiple attempts were made to set up a plan to her children to school but she refused to participate in the process,” said Chief Matt Murphy.

The case is the second truancy warrant obtained by SPD this week. Earlier this week, Murphy said the department had obtained an arrest warrant for a 31-year-old Fountain woman on the charge of truancy. According to Scottville Police Chief Matt Murphy, the woman’s child has accumulated 23 unexcused absences from Mason County Central.

Under Michigan law, truancy is defined as a child who has 10 or more unexcused absences per school year. A pupil may be considered truant only once in a particular school year. Chronically absent is defined as a child who is absent for 10 percent or more of the scheduled school days in a school year. Michigan law also requires a parent or legal guardian of a child from the age of 6 to 16 to send his or her child to school during the entire school year, except under certain limited circumstances.

Truancy is a matter that is addressed in juvenile court, which is handled by the probate judge. According to Judge Jeff Nellis, the court has a program in place to deal with truancy violators.