Nashville needs to deal with loitering kids, mayor says

By Jaime Sarrio • Staff Writer (Tennessean) • March 13, 2008 Local leaders say Nashville needs a truancy/loitering center to deal with the school attendance problem, and Mayor Karl Dean is all for it. Almost 100 school leaders, non-profit workers, police and juvenile court officials and aides from the Mayor’s Office gathered today at the downtown library for Dean’s Summit on Truancy. One of the ideas that spouted from the event was to create a new center to improve school attendance and deal with early offenders. Dean said he’s been concerned about Nashville’s school absentee rate since his days as a public offender. High absentee rates are often linked to juvenile crime and an increased drop out rate. But the mayor wouldn’t say whether he will dedicate funds create a center, only that his budget would reflect his priorities, public education and public safety.