Truancy battle brewing

An Orland mother says she is "ready to go to war" with the Orland Unified School District and the Glenn County District Attorney's Office following her arrest last week on truancy-related forgery charges.

Shannon Anderson 27, along with her husband, William Anderson, were arrested March 8 and March 9, respectively, on felony warrants charging them with forging a doctor's note to excuse their third-grade son from school.

"I'm ready for this fight," Anderson said Tuesday. "They messed with the wrong mother this time."

The Andersons were one of two sets of parents arrested on those same charges last week. The other couple, Anthony and Cherrie Hazlett, also were arrested March 8.

Shannon Anderson posted a $10,000 bail bond and was released the same day.

William Anderson was at work when his wife was arrested and not booked himself until the following day, Anderson said. He also posted bail on the day of his arrest.

Each is charged with a felony count of forgery and an Educational Code Infraction for "failure to send a child to school," court records state.

The Hazlett family has also denied any wrongdoing and said they too will fight the charges.

Anderson said she was told that authorities believe she forged portions of a doctor's note, signed by Orland physician James Corona, dated Jan. 11, 2010.

"We absolutely did not forge anything," Anderson said. "I just believe this was some kind of ploy to get us in jail because the school doesn't like us."

Anderson said she believes Dr. Corona violated the law when he showed her son's medical file to the Glenn County District Attorney's Office without permission.

She claims Corona told her husband he produced confidential medical records without a subpoena.

Phone calls to Corona's Orland office were not returned Tuesday.

Orland school officials have said this latest truancy probe, dubbed the "Attendance Improvement Program," has only targeted "chronic offenders."

Superintendent Chris von Kleist said Thursday that officials are only looking at students who have missed more than 30 days of school without a valid, excused reason.

"No one is being targeted," von Kleist said. "We just don't work like that around here."

Anderson said she doesn't "buy that at all."

"We received papers (from the district) that show my son has only missed 24 days total and is only been truant 10 days," Andersons said.

The district loses $32.88 each day that a child misses school, according to the Orland school district Web site. Officials have acknowledged the loss of average daily attendance money as an issue for a severely cash-strapped school district, but insist the real issue is student education.

Anderson said she "has quite a history" of angry confrontations with school officials and cried as she discussed her child's medical issues, which include serious asthma and a bout with the H1N1 — or Swine Flu — virus in September.

"We're being targeted because (the district) doesn't like us," Anderson said, "and they're trying to make an example out of us to other parents. That's what I think."

Anderson said she plans to remove her two youngest children from Orland schools, but will keep her two older boys there to attend Orland High School next year.

Each of the four cases is being prosecuted separately, authorities said.

Anthony Hazlett and Shannon Anderson are due back in court March 30 for arraignment.

Cherrie Hazlett pleaded not guilty March 8 and is due back in court April 7 for a preliminary hearing.

William Anderson is set to appear for arraignment April 20.

The District Attorney's Office could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Contact Rob Parsons at 934-6800 or rparsons@tcnpress.com.