State ex rel. Henry v. Macdonald
State ex rel. Henry v. Macdonald
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
Hpon the complaint of the eountv school superintendent, citation was issued from the superior court of Thurston county to appellants, Macdonald and wife, to show cause why they did not send their three minor children to the common school in the district in which appellants resided, and also commanding appellants to bring the three children into court for examination as to their proficiency in the course of education prescribed in the common schools. Thereafter, upon hearing, an examination was had of the proficiency of the children and of the reason
The only question deemed material here is the power of the judge or court to inflict the judgment for contempt which was entered against appellants. The three sections mentioned are all from the general school law that seem pertinent to the inquiry. These sections, taken together, are somewhat vague in their meaning, and it is difficult to- determine the intention of the legislature. They are found, as arranged in the act, numbered widely apart, but evidently all relate to the same subject matter, viz., the compulsory education of children where for any cause such education is neglected. Section 71 imposes the duty primarily upon the parents, guardians, and other persons having immediate custody of the children. Section 171 provides that any one summoned before the superior judge who- does not show satisfactory cause for refusal or neglect to comply with the duty imposed by the law shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punished for each offense in a sum of not less than ten nor more than twenty-five dollars. Section 177, as amended, should logically precede in its order § 171, because § 177 declares the procedure by which any one having the custody of a child, and who does not comply with the school law, shall be brought before the judge of the superior court for an examination and hearing^ and prescribes further that the
We are unable to find any authority in law for the imposition of the judgment of contempt. The judgment is reversed, with direction to dismiss the proceeding.
Dunbar, Bullerton, Anders and White, JJ., concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The State of Washington of the Relation of T. N. Henry v. John Macdonald et ux.
- Cited By
- 7 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- SCHOOLS-COMPULSORY EDUCATION-REFUSAL TO PLACE CHILD IN SCHOOL —• CONTEMPT OF COURT. Under the school law of 1897, as amended in 1899, which provides that it shall be the duty of parents and guardians of children between the ages of eight and fifteen years to send them to school at least three months in each year; that any parent or guardian who, after notification hy the county superintendent, refuses or neglects to send such child to school, shall, upon complaint of such superintendent, be summoned before the judge, who shall have power to issue an order commanding the parents to place the child in school, or appear before him and show cause for refusal so to do; and that any person summoned before a superior judge to answer why he has not kept such child in school, who fails to give satisfactory cause for refusal to comply with the law relating to school attendance, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and fined; no authority is vested in the superior judge to adjudge such parent or guardian guilty of contempt for failure to comply with an order to place .a child in school, since the only penalty the statute imposes is to declare the ofíense a misdemeanor punishable by fine. SAME-PENALTY-NOT EMBRACED IN TITLE OP ACT. Under § 19, art. 2, which provides that no. bill for an act of the legislature shan embrace more than one subject, whicn must be expressed in the title, a section in the school law defining a misdemeanor and providing for its punishment is illegally embraced within an act entitled “an act to establish a general and uniform system of public schools in the state of Washington.”