(A) Definitions. For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
PARENTAL PERMISSION. Shall include permission from a person in loco parentis and shall be given for reasons only of personal illness, serious family illness, death in the family, serious home emergencies, necessary and lawful family support, employment, valid religious justification, school district’s providing appropriate evidence of home schooling and/or compelling family reasons.
TRUANT. A child subject to compulsory school attendance and who is absent without parental permission from such attendance for a school day or a portion thereof.
(B) Truancy prohibited.
(1) (a) It shall be unlawful for any person within the corporate limits of the city, or enrolled in a school within the corporate limits of the city, and enrolled in grades 1 through 12 who is subject to any of the following divisions (1)(a)1. through 3. to absent himself or herself from attendance at school without parental or guardian school permission:
1. Required by law to attend school;
2. Subject to the compulsory attendance requirements of the Illinois School Code, ILCS Ch. 105, Act 5, as it may be amended from time to time; or
3. Enrolled in a public, private, or parochial school (herein referred to as "student").
(b) It shall also be unlawful for any parent or legal guardian of any such child to allow a child to violate this section.
(2) It shall further be unlawful for any student enrolled in public, private or parochial school to absent himself or herself from attendance at said school without parental permission. Any person who shall so absent himself or herself shall be guilty of the offence of truancy, and students and/or those who have custody shall be subject to a fine as set forth hereafter. Emergency or unforeseen absences due to illness or other causes beyond the control of the person so absenting himself or herself from school without parental permission shall not constitute truancy if permission is submitted in writing to the proper school authorities within 24 hours after such absence.
(3) It shall be unlawful for any person who has custody or control of a student to permit such child not to attend some public, private or parochial school in the district wherein the child resides during the entire time it is in the session during the regular school term, without reasonable and adequate excuse, such excuse including personal illness, serious family illness, death in the family, serious home emergency, necessary and lawful family support, employment, valid religious justification or providing evidence of satisfactory participating in home schooling, or compelling family reason. Any person violating this section is guilty of the offence of truancy and shall be subject to a fine as set forth hereafter.
(C) False excuse prohibited. It shall be an offence under this section for a parent or other individual to knowingly submit to the proper school authorities a written excuse under any of the provisions herein that contains false information, including falsification of a signature. A person convicted of an offence under this section shall be subject to a fine set forth hereafter.
(D) Penalty. Any student who violates this section and/or any persons, including, but not limited to, a person having custody of a student hereunder, who violate this section shall be subject to a fine according to the Uniform Fine Schedule in § 10.99.
(Ord. 1292, passed 9-19-07; Am. Ord. 1326, passed 2-20-08)