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Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said that's indicative of a larger issue in Detroit, where the lack of making parents accountable for their children partly is blamed on elevated truancy and dropout rates, as well as a recent rash of violent crimes involving teens.

Worthy has a new idea she hopes will fix the problem: Jail parents for up to three days for repeatedly missing scheduled parent-teacher conferences.

A Detroit-area prosecutor pushing a proposed statewide law that could jail parents for up to three days for repeatedly missing parent-teacher conferences continues to make her pitch.

A county prosecutor in Michigan is proposing a law that could punish parents with jail time for repeatedly missing their children's parent-teacher conferences.

Organizers for the Coalition for a Safer Detroit warned that the battle to legalize up to an ounce of pot may be arduous and timely after a Wayne County Circuit judge upheld an Aug. 9 decision by the Detroit Election Commission to keep the proposal off the ballot in November.
The commission and judge said the ballot was pre-empted by state law banning possession of the drug.

State education officials have ordered the emergency financial manager for Detroit Public Schools to immediately implement a plan that balances the district's books by closing half its schools. The Detroit News says the financial restructuring plan will increase high school class sizes to 60 students and consolidate operations. Officials say that the plan would wipe out the district's $327 million deficit by 2014.

Three parents were arrested last week because their children had been truant too many times, officials said Wednesday. The consequences for parents arrested for their child's truancy include up to one year in county jail and/or a $2,000 fine for each child not in compliance. "Sometimes we have to reinforce the idea that it is a crime to not send your child to school," said Chief Deputy DA Karen Bell. "We don't want to take that route, but some parents force our hand and give us no other choice but to file criminal charges."

The parent-teacher conference is a ritual of American education. It can be as tense as a traffic stop. Or a moment of joy. That's if you show up for it.

Detroit -- As Michigan State Police investigators sort out the shooting of 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones, one aspect is clear: Detroit taxpayers will pay.

This law mandates that any parents or guardians of a child must notify the child’s school in writing if such parent or guardian owns any firearm.