Her son missed remote school – so police showed up with a $439 fine

Punitive truancy policies mean US families may face fines, or even prosecution. A health crisis, recession and bad internet can make remote learning impossible

• Attending school at a fast-food spot: 12m US students lack internet
• The teens who clean homes during Zoom classes
• This series was reported by The74Million.org, a non-profit education news site, in partnership with the Guardian

It was the Monday morning before Thanksgiving when a police officer showed up on Tracie Higgins's doorstep and handed a $439 fine to her teenage son for missing too many days of remote school during the pandemic.