Angelica Ramos
Contributing Writer
MONTGOMERY CO. – Courtney Roberts, local criminal defense attorney and mother of children enrolled in Montgomery County Public Schools, discussed truancy during the public address portion of the school board meeting June 18, 2024.
“I’m taking off my mom cap today,” Courtney Roberts, Blacksburg resident said, “and coming to address you as a criminal defense attorney in Blacksburg, specifically as a criminal defense attorney who represents on a court-appointed basis, children, students at Montgomery County schools who have been brought before the Juvenile Domestic Relations courts, here, on essentially truancy charges.”
Roberts stated during her address that she has three children in Montgomery County Public schools, one of whom is enrolled at Blacksburg High School. She said that, as a criminal defense attorney, she’s worked with not only the children enrolled in Montgomery County schools, but their families and truancy officers in this capacity.
“You don’t really charge a child,” Roberts said, “They’re called ‘children in need of supervision petitions.’ But, they get an attorney because they are looking at some pretty serious threats to their liberty, including being held in detention. In very serious cases, they can even have custody changes ordered, foster care sent along, and have them removed from their parent or guardian’s custody.”
“So, obviously, I take my role in that part of the system very seriously,” Roberts said, “and it really affects my ability to do my job when I don’t have communication from the school system. I’m coming to you [Montgomery County School Board] today because I’m pretty upset to find out that you all are losing Anne Guthrie, who’s been our truancy officer this past year. I’ve had the privilege of working with her this past year and I have found her progress in that position to be leaps and bounds beyond my experience.”
Roberts explained Guthrie’s system of reporting allowed her [Roberts] to better share and communicate with her clients and give them a sense of clarity.
“In my observations,” Roberts said to the board, “I feel strongly that you’re losing people, like Anne and other employees, because you’re missing out on their reporting of their complaints.”
“I believe that there is a chink in this system’s armor,” Roberts said to Superintendent Dr. Bernard Bragan, Jr., “and I believe that those messages are not getting to you in advance. I think that, as you’re the superintendent, it falls on you to figure out where that is and do something about it. So, I’m asking you to do so.”
