Play hooky, go to jail

A mother in England has been sentenced to six weeks in jail for allowing her 13-year-old daughter to play hooky. Ann Watson’s daughter has only showed up for class once in the last nine months.

The judge felt that there was no other alternative after a number of agreements between the mother, student, and school have failed. The student’s attendance has been deteriorating for the past two years.

Watson has three prior convictions for her children’s truancy. She was fined in each instance. She had declined to attend meetings with child welfare officers.

Watson said her daughter refused to attend school because of bullying due to her exceptional height, at 6’1. A court analysis showed that she is actually only 5’7.