“When I did it [established a program to prosecute parents whose kids missed school], I knew I was going to take a political hit. And the people around me said, ‘Don’t do it, because you are gonna pay a price for this in terms of whatever future you want in politics.’ And I said: ‘Look, I’m prepared to play the bad guy on this. I do not intend to put any parent in jail.’ And no parent went to jail."