Owen proposes to take away drop-outs' driver's licenses

Stay in school, or hand over your car keys.

The East Lansing lawyer yesterday unveiled his plan to take away the driver's licenses of students who seriously misbehave or drop out of school.

"A lack of respect is a major problem in our schools," he said. With 26,000 dropouts last year, not keeping students in school could have serious repercussions for their future and for the state's, he said.

East Kentwood High School Principal Joe Beel said he thought the idea had promise.

"It is amazing what a significant thing that driver's license is," he said. "I wouldn't be opposed to seeing something like that, anything that would motivate kids to be here and to do well while they're here."

But Jackson Northwest High School Principal Erik Bergh said he isn't sure misbehaving students will be deterred by the threat of a lost license.

"I've seen students who have had all kinds of driver's license sanctions put on them tell me they were driving anyway," Bergh said.

04-15-98