Kamala Harris’s heartless truancy enforcement
As California Attorney General, Kamala Harris implemented strict truancy policies, threatening to jail parents whose children had excessive absences from school.
The policy disproportionately affected low-income families, particularly Black single mothers.
Cheree Peoples' arrest and daughter’s illness
Single mother Cheree Peoples was arrested after her daughter Shayla missed school due to sickle cell anemia, a severe condition that required frequent hospital visits and blood transfusions.
Despite providing medical documentation and having a 504 plan with the school, her daughter’s absences were treated as truancy.
Dread consequences
Cheree’s arrest was highly publicized, with police conducting a “perp walk” in front of news cameras, humiliating her.
As a result of the arrest and subsequent legal battle, Cheree lost her job, became homeless, and struggled to care for her daughter.
During this period, Shayla suffered a stroke from sludging of sickled red blood cells in a brain blood vessel, leaving her paralyzed.
The case against Cheree was eventually dismissed after two years, but the damage to her family was irreparable.
Kamala’s truancy policy overruled
In 2018, the California Supreme Court ruled that incarceration for truancy was unconstitutional, putting an end to the practice.
The case underscores flaws in policies that penalize parents for circumstances beyond their control, especially when involving children with serious medical conditions.
Dishonest denial
Kamala has shown no empathy for Cheree or Shayla and has not apologized for the incident.
In interviews, Kamala falsely denied that any parents had been jailed under her truancy initiative, despite evidence to the contrary.
Critics argue Kamala’s enforcement of the policy reflects a lack of empathy for marginalized communities, particularly Black single mothers.
Broader concerns about identity and media
Commentators question whether Kamala’s personal background — growing up with an Indian mother and attending school in Canada — contributed to her perceived insensitivity toward Black Americans.
Additionally, media coverage of the incident has been minimal, leading to criticism that these stories are often suppressed, especially when they don’t align with mainstream narratives about Democrat leaders.
(Top video by Jimmy Dore)
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