Sierra LaMar Disappearance Prompts Changes In School Absence System
MORGAN HILL (KCBS) – The disappearance of Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar has led to changes in how parents are alerted to student absences at district schools.
Parents in the Morgan Hill Unified School District will now be notified twice a day if their son or daughter is absent from school.
The district will add a morning phone call if their child doesn't attend class, as well as in the evening as is currently done. In addition, the district hopes to give parents the option of being notified by text message or email when their kid is absent.
Mark Klaas, founder of the Klaas Kids Foundation said that these changes are necessary in the wake of LaMar's apparent kidnapping.
KCBS' Matt Bigler Reports:
"Had Marlene and Steve known hours earlier that their daughter had not shown up for school, which was totally out of character, they would have taken action much sooner than they did, and precious time would have been saved," said Klaas.
Meanwhile, at least one other district – The Los Gatos Saratoga High School District, has changed its policy to include lunchtime notifications.
Parent notification systems were originally designed to curb truancy, not to check on the child's safety.
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