No car keys for truants in Maryland.

No car keys for truants in Maryland. A NEW STATEWIDE LAW PUNISHING pun��ish?v. pun��ished, pun��ish��ing, pun��ish��esv.tr.1. To subject to a penalty for an offense, sin, or fault.2. To inflict a penalty for (an offense).3. truancy in Maryland schools recentlywent into effect that denies a learner's permit Noun 1. learner's permit - a document authorizing the bearer to learn to drive an automobilelicense, permit, licence - a legal document giving official permission to do something to students youngerthan 16 who have more than 10 unexcused absences during the prior schoolsemester se��mes��ter?n.One of two divisions of 15 to 18 weeks each of an academic year.[German, from Latin (cursus) s . All teenagers, whether they're in public or private schools orare home-schooled, must submit a certified See certification. , sealed attendance form tothe Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration as part of their application,says agency spokesman Buel Young. But because Maryland teens must be at least 15 years and 9 monthsold before applying for a learner's permit, the new law and itsshort, four-month window of relevance is spurring doubt among educatorsthat it will actually serve its purpose. "It is a step in the right direction, but it's so watereddown the positive effect is going to be minimal," says BobD'Angelis, pupil personnel worker at Howard Public Schools inEllicott City Ellicott City,village (1990 pop. 41,396), seat of Howard co., in Baltimore and Howard cos., central Md., on the Patapsco River; settled 1774 as Ellicott Mills, inc. and renamed 1867, reverted to uninc. status 1935. . He also notes that the law counts students' absencesfrom the prior semester but not the current one. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Others see potential in the law's ability, however small orlarge, to remedy the state's issues with truancy and are eager toutilize it. Bill Reinhard, a spokesman for the Maryland Department ofEducation, says the state embraces the law and its goals. A state report says more than 10 percent of Baltimore students werehabitually HABITUALLY. Customarily, by habit. or frequent use or practice, or so frequently, as to show a design of repeating the same act. 2 N. S. 622: 1 Mart. Lo. R. 149. 2. absent during the 2005-2006 school year.