HOMEGROWN JUSTICE

by Cat Totty and Charlotte Kovalchuk

Jarrell Gets New Juvenile Court

After seeing the strain on families and officials who needed to travel to Taylor to attend juvenile court, Jarrell ISD Police Chief Sharif Mezayek reached out to Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Rhonda Redden about scheduling a juvenile court in Jarrell. On February 20, the inaugural juvenile court docket was held at City Hall. “It’s easier for the JP court to take a couple [staff members] to Jarrell rather than dozens of people coming here to Taylor,” Judge Redden says.

“TO ME, THIS IS ABOUT BUILDING GOOD PARTNERSHIPS AND LETTING JARRELL KNOW THAT EVEN THOUGH Y’ALL ARE UP IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY IN THE FARTHEST REACH OF PRECINCT 4, YOU’RE STILL IMPORTANT TO ME. IF I NEED TO BE FLEXIBLE AND CREATIVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE NEEDS OF JARRELL, THAT’S WHAT I’M WILLING TO DO.”

The court’s first day was a success, with almost all 33 cases showing up from truancy cases and parent-contributing cases to drug possession and disorderly conduct of two students involved in a fight. When it comes to truancy cases, Judge Redden’s goal is to give students an opportunity to come into compliance before penalizing them through fines or community service and having the case go on the students’ records. “I’m just trying to get them to go to school. I’ll say, ‘I don’t want your money, I want your compliance.’ If I can get kids that come out successfully and straighten out their truancy, we can close their cases, never charge them, and dismiss their parents’ case.”

Some of the students who are working with Juvenile Case Manager Stephanie Teinert have been getting back on the right track by improving their school attendance.

Stephanie says, “I am very excited to continue having court in Jarrell. Being closer to the families means they don’t have to take time off from work and we have more time to talk with them. Since we’ve done that, I feel parents are a bit more willing to cooperate than they have been.”

Instrumental Court

Another benefit of having a local court, Stephanie says, is that more Jarrell ISD officials will be able to attend. Several school officials were available during the February session, including Jarrell ISD Superintendent Toni Hicks, who contributed insight that helped resolve a student’s case.

But the district’s priority is to try to ensure kids never have to appear in Judge Redden’s courtroom, with campus staff and counselors working with students and families to provide the necessary support and resources to improve attendance. Superintendent Hicks emphasizes the importance of addressing chronic absenteeism early, as research shows that as early as kindergarten, chronical- ly absent students have a 61 percent chance of reading below grade level. Students in 8th through 12th grade who are chronically absent are also 7.4 times more likely to drop out of school. (National Assessment of Educational Progress)

Judge Redden’s new Jarrell court will be instrumental in assisting the district with early intervention, Dr. Hicks says.

“With her support, the truancy court is now conveniently held in Jarrell City Hall. This helps our families and staff to attend so, together, we can find the best plan that assists our students.”

The next Jarrell juvenile court will be held April 16 and local dockets will continue through the remainder of the school year and recommence for the 2024-25 school year in October.