DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - An Iowa judge on Friday postponed a hearing on a dispute between a father and school district over whether the man’s eighth-grade son should be able to drive to school.
Polk County District Court Judge Robert Blink declined to hear arguments in the case of Robert Stephenson and the Saydel Community School District. He wanted Stephenson to have a lawyer because Iowa law generally bars parents who are not attorneys from acting as advocates for their children in court, The Des Moines Register reported (https://dmreg.co/1fUs6HV ).
Stephenson had requested that a judge file an injunction against the district, which stopped his son and three other eighth-graders from driving themselves to and from Woodside Middle School in Des Moines. Iowa law says a student must be 14½ years old to get a school permit that allows driving to and from school and school activities, among other requirements. It does not factor a student’s grade level.
Stephenson, a Saydel school board member, signed paperwork to get a school permit for his 14-year-old son, who meets the age threshold, and three other students. The forms are supposed to be signed by a superintendent, a principal or a school board chairman or chairwoman, according to Interim Superintendent Tracy Hook.
Iowa law allows school districts to set their own rules on school permits. The Saydel school district does not have a formal policy in place, but district officials say allowing eighth-graders to drive creates safety concerns.
Hook said he was frustrated that Stephenson signed the paperwork without checking in with district administrators. Stephenson said there were inconsistencies between Iowa code and the state Department of Transportation’s administrative law regarding who can sign the paperwork.
Stephenson said his son is mature enough to drive. He said eighth-grade students should be allowed to drive to school as long as they can use the privilege responsibly.
“This is all about the kids and what their rights are,” he said. “I feel that, by law, if they’re allowed to drive to school and home, they should be able to do that. … Individuals should be able to use their rights.”
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Information from: The Des Moines Register, https://www.desmoinesregister.com
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