Parents beware!  You may get arrested if your kids skip too much school.

In Florida, some parents were taken into custody for failing to comply with the state's school attendance laws.  Many states in the country have laws that kids have to be in school between the ages of 5 and 18.  Compulsory education and 32 states have penalties for the parents if the kids skip school.

In Jacksonville, Florida, 15 parents were arrested at work or home and sometimes with news cameras present.  Every parent who was arrested had a child who had a minimum of 20 unexcused school absences. 

Supporters of compulsory education say that these laws keep kids of the streets, lowers crime and gives them a better chance to make it in life.  Statistics have shown that kids who attend school are less likely to be involved in criminal activity.

But, critics want to know the reason why we are so disturbed that kids don't attend school.  And, they remind us that some of these parents have kids who they cannot control or who are poor.  Is sending these parents to jail really a good solution? 

The arrested will likely be sentenced to probation.