DETROIT (AP) — The Michigan Supreme Court has overturned the decisions of a Kalamazoo-area judge who terminated the parental rights of a poor couple after their two children had missed 25% of school.
The absences in 2017-18 were higher than the school’s average.
But the Supreme Court says there was no evidence of resulting harm or neglect. It's a key threshold when a judge decides whether to take jurisdiction over children.
The case was closely watched by advocates for poor families, especially during a pandemic when education has been significantly disrupted.
The case now will return to Kalamazoo County court.
The children’s mother did not appeal the termination of her parental rights at the Supreme Court.
