ORDINANCE 2007- 05
AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE POLICY FOR THE VILLAGE OF CAPITAN

WHEREAS, The Village of Capitan is a New Mexico municipality; and

WHEREAS, The Governing Body of the Village of Capitan is charged with making laws to insure the efficient operation of the Village; and

WHEREAS, The Governing Body of the Village of Capitan acted in regular session on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 to approve an addition to the Village Code Section 5-2-1, Minors; Curfew; adding the Compulsory School Attendance, a policy regarding students who should be in a public or private school during the school year.

NOW THEREFORE be it ordained that the following policy should be added to Section 5-2-1: Minors; Curfew:
Sec. 5-2-1. Compulsory School Attendance.
(D)   Unlawful acts.   
1.       No person under the age of 18 years shall be upon or about public streets or public places of amusement and entertainment within the village during the hours when the person is required to be in attendance at either a public or private school within the confines of the village as required by state law.

2.       It shall be unlawful for a person to encourage or assist a student not to attend or return to school unless the absence is excused by a school official or such absence is excused under one of the exceptions found in NMSA 1978, § 22-12-2.

(E)   Applicability.  Any qualified student and any person who because of his age is eligible to become a qualified student as defined by the Public School Finance Act (NMSA 1978, §§ 22-8-1--22-8-42) until attaining the age of majority shall attend a public school, a private school, a home school or a state institution. A person shall be excused from this requirement if:
1.      The person is specifically exempted by law from the provisions of this section;

2.     The person has graduated from a high school;

3.       The person is at least 16 years of age and has been excused by the local school board or its authorized representative upon a finding that the person will be employed in a gainful trade or occupation or engaged in an alternative form of education sufficient for the person's educational needs

Ordinance 2007-05
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    and the parent, guardian or other person having custody and control consents;

4.       With consent of the parent, guardian or person having custody and control of the person to be excused, the person is excused from the provisions of this section by the superintendent of schools of the school district in which the person is a resident and the person is under eight years of age; or

5.       The person is judged, based on standards and procedures adopted by the state board, to be unable to benefit from instruction because of learning disabilities or mental, physical or emotional conditions.

(F)   Parent or Guardian Liable; Penalty.   
1.       The parents or legal guardian of school children who violate this section will be punished as provided in section 1-4-1, with a minimum punishment of a warning on the first violation, a fine of $50.00 on the second violation, and a fine of $100.00 on each subsequent violation.

2.       Students who violate this section will be identified and the proper school officials and the parent or legal guardian of the student shall be notified and summoned to court for a hearing on the matter.

(G)   Provisions supplemental.
1.       This section is in no way intended to replace the New Mexico Compulsory         School Attendance Law, NMSA 1978, §§ 22-12-1--22-12-7.

2.       This section is in no way intended to replace any truancy supervision by             the school districts, private schools or any other school recognized by law.

3.       This provision is intended to be supplemental to the provisions of                 subsections (1) and (2) above and shall be enforceable upon a proper             complaint filed by the principal of any school within the village limits             alleging ten (10) or more unexcused absences by the applicable student.

(H)   Enforcement.  The village police department will maintain a workable procedure for implementation and enforcement of this section. 

PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED THIS 12TH DAY OF JUNE, 2007.

                        ____________________________________                        Sammy L. Hammons, Mayor
ATTEST:
______________________________________
Kay Strickland, Village Clerk

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June 12, 2007
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STATE OF NEW MEXICO)
                                             )
COUNTY OF LINCOLN    )

Acknowledged before me this ________June, 207, by Sammy Hammons, Mayor, Village of Capitan, New Mexico.

                        ____________________________________
                        Notary Public

My Commission Expires:

_____________________




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