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(Memphis) It's the last day of class for many Mid-South school students, but for some they either haven't been in class very much or at all during the school year.

Students skipping school or being truant is why the local prosecutor isn't just cracking down on students, but parents like Brenda Alexander.

She was in court Friday.



Alexander's home is located almost in the shadows of Vance Middle School, but the Shelby County District Attorney's office says two of her children enrolled here haven't been in class on a regular basis since before Christmas.

No one at the home wanted to talk with us, but the family's neighbors like Kymetra Gates and Latrell Freeman did.

Gates said, "They don't go to any school. I know one of them is supposed to go to Vance. The principal came over here with the police officer and she didn't even want to come out the door. That is kind of crazy that a child is not going to school."

Freeman said, "I just think it's wrong to have your child to miss out on a good education, especially when you have people walking in the street. We need our education, especially black young kids."



Tennessee law says a child under the age of 16 must be in school and it's the parents responsibility to make sure that happens.



Harold Collins is a special assistant to the Shelby County D.A.

Collins said, "We've issued many summons to have parents finger printed and booked in 201 Poplar (the criminal justice center) and given a court date so they can come and explain to a judge why we shouldn't pursue them according to the law."



A prime case and point are two parents in Huntsville, Alabama.

Sydney and Laurel Benson were arrested for their non-compliance with school rules and state laws.

The Benson's have four school-aged children, two middle and two elementary school students.



Over the past year, their four kids have a total of 200 unexcused absences.



The Bensons even moved to avoid the consequences of breaking the law before they were caught.

Judy Rushton is director of pupil services with Huntsville City Schools, "The judge means to have the children in school and to send a strong message to the parents and the community that we mean for parents to follow the law."



It's a message school administrators and prosecutors hope parents will hear loud in clear to have their children in school for class time if they want to avoid jail time.

