Six parents of chronically truant San Francisco schoolchildren — each of whom missed more than 50 days of class — were arraigned Tuesday before a superior court judge on infractions that charged the guardians with failing to make sure their kids receive an education.

The infractions, pursued by District Attorney Kamala Harris, carry a $100 fine. If the truancy continues, the next step would be misdemeanor charges of neglecting a child’s education, charges that could land a parent in county jail for up to a year with a fine up to $2,500, Harris said Tuesday.

The parents — Connie Wilson, Jamelia Kellom, Shanae Seastrunk, Kenneth Reed, Chanell Brown and Joshua Pomar — were the first to be prosecuted under stricter enforcement guidelines announced by Harris at the beginning of the school year.

All four elementary and middle school students involved in the cases have amassed more than 50 truancies each, and one was truant 81 times in a school year that consists of 150 school days. The youngest student is 6 years old.

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Two parents delayed entering pleas in an agreement to work with the courts on a parental responsibility plan. Two parents chose to fight the charges by pleading not guilty and the two parents of one student pleaded guilty and agreed to the $100 fine.

In October, Harris vowed to prosecute parents of children who missed 20 or more days during the school year without a note or phone call. What followed was a series of phone calls to parents, seminars and meetings with prosecutors. Tuesday was the first time Harris actually took parents to court.

At the halfway point of the school year, The Examiner reported that San Francisco schools saw a nearly 80 percent jump from the previous fall semester in the number of chronically truant students despite Harris’ pledge. School district officials said truancies have since declined.

The number of students skipping school in San Francisco has long been above statewide averages and costs the already cash-strapped district more than $5 million in state funding every year. One absence costs the San Francisco Unified School District about $42, according to district data.

Among the most common reasons for truancies, especially among elementary school children, are child care issues, drug abuse by parents, lack of transportation, family abandonment and the students ditching classes, according to school district Superintendant Carlos Garcia.

“You know, little kids, what rights do they have? I think we as a society need to stand up for their rights, the right to an education,” Garcia said.

bbegin@sfexaminer.com