Texas honor student jailed for missing school?

[Sun]

Anyone else see this? http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/18626605/texas-honors-student-jailed-for-excessive-truancy?clienttype=printable

 

I was absolutely horrified to read this. I hate those kinds of policies that too many public schools have. I felt sick for that girl who, by the sounds of it, has been working awfully hard to keep up with school, work, and taking care of her younger siblings. I also wondered what happened to her siblings while she was in jail.

[Lily_Grace]

So the punishment for missing school is court ordered missed school? :confused:

 

 

Awesome system we've got going on here.

[Snickerdoodle]

I just don't have words...

 

The judge wanted to make an example of her?

 

Yes, because hardworking, responsible teenagers are........ what?

[kitten18]

Instead of getting help for her, they put her in jail. :glare::glare::glare:

[Plucky]

This doesn't make any sense. Did she ever tell teachers, truant officers, or the judge that she was working so much supporting siblings? I wonder if she kept it secret so the kids wouldn't be taken away. This information may be getting out just now in the media because of the sentence. Does anyone know if the judge knew before his sentence (which is ridiculous anyway)?

[jennynd]

wow, she is alone and support her younger sister and a honor student. It seem ridiculous

[Snickerdoodle]

It really doesn't make sense. Weren't the parents contacted?

[melissad2]

Someone needs to smack that judge upside the head. Sheer stupidity. I often wonder if they just hand out judgement willy nilly without checking with their brains first.

[SonshineLearner]

Freakin' mentally insane... I'd love for someone to make a point with that Judge.... He/She needs a logic course... or another job :(

[FaithManor]

Well, this is just NUTS!

 

I know of NO state that allows a minor to be arrainged/summoned to court that will allow them to appear unrepresented. So if the parents were not there and a court appointed attorney was not present or the very least a social worker, friend of the court, guardian ad litem, or other legal representative, I do not know how the judge could have her in court. She wasn't arrested by the police. She answered a summons. He should have immediately postponed until legal representation could be arranged.

 

On top of which, she has a right to speak to the charges in court. Maybe she gave flimsy excuses for not attending school because she didn't want her sibs taken away, but any judge with a half a brain says, "Where are your parents? Why are they not with you? Who is your legal guardian?" and when the child does not know the whereabouts of their legal guardian or does not have a satisfactory answer said judge calls a social worker and the police to investigate. He/she doesn't arrest the minor for missing school!

 

It is mind boggling to me. However, I am seeing more and more in this nation where kids are being relegated to less than non-citizens in our courts and in our schools.

 

I'd like to know the role of the school in all of this. Did the truancy officer visit the home? More than once? Did he/she report inability to make contact with parents? Hello, RED FLAGS? Red flags every where and the system that should have been looking out for her best interests, let her down in a pretty mighty way!

 

I guess it is somehow possible that none of this came to light prior to the arrest, however, to be honest, I find it very improbable!

 

Faith

[Kathryn]

Well, this is just NUTS!

 

I know of NO state that allows a minor to be arrainged/summoned to court that will allow them to appear unrepresented. So if the parents were not there and a court appointed attorney was not present or the very least a social worker, friend of the court, guardian ad litem, or other legal representative, I do not know how the judge could have her in court. She wasn't arrested by the police. She answered a summons. He should have immediately postponed until legal representation could be arranged.

 

On top of which, she has a right to speak to the charges in court. Maybe she gave flimsy excuses for not attending school because she didn't want her sibs taken away, but any judge with a half a brain says, "Where are your parents? Why are they not with you? Who is your legal guardian?" and when the child does not know the whereabouts of their legal guardian or does not have a satisfactory answer said judge calls a social worker and the police to investigate. He/she doesn't arrest the minor for missing school!

 

It is mind boggling to me. However, I am seeing more and more in this nation where kids are being relegated to less than non-citizens in our courts and in our schools.

 

I'd like to know the role of the school in all of this. Did the truancy officer visit the home? More than once? Did he/she report inability to make contact with parents? Hello, RED FLAGS? Red flags every where and the system that should have been looking out for her best interests, let her down in a pretty mighty way!

 

I guess it is somehow possible that none of this came to light prior to the arrest, however, to be honest, I find it very improbable!

 

Faith

 

:iagree: poor girl!

[kitten18]

I watched the video. The judge seemed to have no clue about her situation. He seemed pretty clueless in general. :confused:

 

I agree with previous posters, did the truancy officer/judge not talk to any adults?

 

Total. System. Failure.

 

 

Poor kid and she's only a junior, hopefully they get something straightened out for next year.

[Murphy101]

So the punishment for missing school is court ordered missed school? :confused:

 

 

Awesome system we've got going on here.

 

I just don't have words...

 

The judge wanted to make an example of her?

 

Yes, because hardworking, responsible teenagers are........ what?

 

:iagree:

[butterflymommy]

Are there any online petitions for this poor girl? I read this story this morning and my stomach is still doing flip flops.

[usetoschool]

I searched the news stories about this, thinking there has to be more to the story. I can't find anything. The headline should be about the worthless judge (and how he is about to be fired for incompetence!). And where are the girls parents? The story says they divorced and moved away? Leaving their underage children to fend for themselves?

 

There is are two websites trying to help here - change.org with a petition to have the charges overturned, and helpdiantran.com, which is raising money for her. I hope she and her siblings aren't separated because of this.

 

The judge is totally lacking in any common sense. Love this line from him: "If you let one run loose, what are you gonna' do with the rest of 'em?," said Judge Lanny Moriarty. "Let them go too? A little stay in the jail for one night is not a death sentence."

[melmichigan]

I just don't have words...

 

The judge wanted to make an example of her?

 

Yes, because hardworking, responsible teenagers are........ what?

 

:iagree: If the quotes are correct someone needs to address the judge, a night in jail isn't a death sentence? We had an honors teen committ suicide recently because of an accusation, figuring it would be the end of his scholarships. I can't imagine a jail sentence would be much different. To bad you cannot comment on the story.

[Bootsie]

I searched the news stories about this, thinking there has to be more to the story. I can't find anything. The headline should be about the worthless judge (and how he is about to be fired for incompetence!). And where are the girls parents? The story says they divorced and moved away? Leaving their underage children to fend for themselves?

 

There is are two websites trying to help here - change.org with a petition to have the charges overturned, and helpdiantran.com, which is raising money for her. I hope she and her siblings aren't separated because of this.

 

The judge is totally lacking in any common sense. Love this line from him: "If you let one run loose, what are you gonna' do with the rest of 'em?," said Judge Lanny Moriarty. "Let them go too? A little stay in the jail for one night is not a death sentence."

 

There seems to be more to the story than what has appeared in the news stories. One of the two siblings that she is supporting is away at college. The younger sibling is living with family members.

[happymomofboys]

She's 17! Compulsory attendance laws vary from state to state I know, but come on! She's attending school, taking advanced classes, and seems to be passing them. Missing school shouldn't be a crime for which one can receive jail time. It just shouldn't.

[Denise in Florida]

There seems to be more to the story than what has appeared in the news stories. One of the two siblings that she is supporting is away at college. The younger sibling is living with family members.

 

The story I saw said that she works one full time job (dry cleaners) and one part time job (wedding venue). She lives with her wedding venue employers. She sends money to help an older brother who is trying to finish college (I did not hear why he needs help) and she sends money to relatives who have taken in her little sister.

 

She sounds amazing and she is doing her best in a bad situation. She needs help and support from the adults around her not a jail sentence. She is probably worked sick about the impact of a criminal record.

 

The schools, social workers, truant officers and ultimately the judge have failed her big time.

[usetoschool]

There seems to be more to the story than what has appeared in the news stories. One of the two siblings that she is supporting is away at college. The younger sibling is living with family members.

 

Thanks for the additional information. Didn't see any of that detail in the 3 or 4 stories I read.

[jujsky]

The story I saw said that she works one full time job (dry cleaners) and one part time job (wedding venue). She lives with her wedding venue employers. She sends money to help an older brother who is trying to finish college (I did not hear why he needs help) and she sends money to relatives who have taken in her little sister.

 

She sounds amazing and she is doing her best in a bad situation. She needs help and support from the adults around her not a jail sentence. She is probably worked sick about the impact of a criminal record.

 

The schools, social workers, truant officers and ultimately the judge have failed her big time.

 

That's the version of the story I saw on an online news clip last night. I feel so bad for this girl. No wonder she falls asleep and can't always make it to school. They interviewed one of her friends who says the girl works all the time and then stays up until 7:00 AM doing homework.

[Sun]

The story I saw said that she works one full time job (dry cleaners) and one part time job (wedding venue). She lives with her wedding venue employers. She sends money to help an older brother who is trying to finish college (I did not hear why he needs help) and she sends money to relatives who have taken in her little sister.

 

She sounds amazing and she is doing her best in a bad situation. She needs help and support from the adults around her not a jail sentence. She is probably worked sick about the impact of a criminal record.

 

The schools, social workers, truant officers and ultimately the judge have failed her big time.

 

Thanks for the additional information. I just feel ill when I think about her situation. I also wonder what other questionable judgments that judge has made!

[BrotherAtticus]

I believe that I saw in an article that the Judge said that he wasnt made aware of the girl's backround or case. He just was presented with the facts that she was missinng school. Plus with a lot of the teenagers i know, they just dont care about the rules. I think that the Judge ruled correctly on Principle of the rules. Of course, the media plays this off as she is an honors student to beat around the bush that what the girl did wasnt right (it was wrong but still very gray)

[WishboneDawn]

I believe that I saw in an article that the Judge said that he wasnt made aware of the girl's backround or case. He just was presented with the facts that she was missinng school. Plus with a lot of the teenagers i know, they just dont care about the rules. I think that the Judge ruled correctly on Principle of the rules. Of course, the media plays this off as she is an honors student to beat around the bush that what the girl did wasnt right (it was wrong but still very gray)

 

I don't know. The principle behind these laws (seems to be to keep kids in school to get an education. They're about valuing an education. Here's a kid who does just that and she's being punished by one of the agents that should be helping her. Someone along the line knew she was struggling. If it wasn't the judge it was someone else in the system. She couldn't have gotten that far along without someone knowing more details. But the spirit of the laws and the principles be ****ed, they had to push forward and punish this girl.

 

I hope she gets some support now that her case is known.

 

We don't have truancy laws here. They've always struck me as bizarre.

[Denise in Florida]

I believe that I saw in an article that the Judge said that he wasnt made aware of the girl's backround or case. He just was presented with the facts that she was missinng school. Plus with a lot of the teenagers i know, they just dont care about the rules. I think that the Judge ruled correctly on Principle of the rules. Of course, the media plays this off as she is an honors student to beat around the bush that what the girl did wasnt right (it was wrong but still very gray)

 

what did she do? she missed some days of school, I don't see how that deserves the punishment even if there weren't other factors.

 

If she is taking AP and Dual Enrollment classes and keeping her grades up then sitting in a classroom is burning time she could use elsewhere, IMO.

[Murphy101]

what the girl did wasnt right (it was wrong but still very gray)

 

Yes it was right. It was right in every way for her situation. There is nothing inherently right about sitting in a building listening to someone lecture.

 

what did she do? she missed some days of school, I don't see how that deserves the punishment even if there weren't other factors.

 

If she is taking AP and Dual Enrollment classes and keeping her grades up then sitting in a classroom is burning time she could use elsewhere, IMO.

 

:iagree: If the point is to make sure students learn, then obviously she is either learning even when not sitting in or the teachers are giving her false grades. I think truancy laws are flat out stupid. No amount of forced attendance can force learning. And in this stupid case, it didn't even force attendance - they are putting her jail for a day where she won't learn a thing except our justice system sucks.

[Snickerdoodle]

I think that the Judge ruled correctly on Principle of the rules. Of course, the media plays this off as she is an honors student to beat around the bush that what the girl did wasnt right (it was wrong but still very gray)

 

This girl is nearly an adult. She took on responsibilities that her parents forsook. There is no gray area.

 

I feel bad for the young generation. What a craptastic message about life they are getting.

[RoughCollie]

I think that the Judge ruled correctly on Principle of the rules. Of course, the media plays this off as she is an honors student to beat around the bush that what the girl did wasnt right (it was wrong but still very gray)

 

I think the judge proved that he lacks critical thinking skills. Any idiot can apply a rule.

 

This judge, IMO, is stupid. He may even be racist. For sure, he can't tell the difference between a truant teenager who refuses to go to school and Tran. What lesson do you suppose the judge hopes Tran learns from this? That he is a heartless, racist pig, hardazz who cannot do anything but apply the rules in a knee-jerk fashion?

 

It's a good thing that Judge Moriarty is only a justice of the peace.

 

"The judge ordered Tran to spend 24 hours in jail and pay a $100 fine. Judge Moriarty admitted that he wants to make an example of Tran.

 

“If you let one (truant student) run loose, what are you gonna’ do with the rest of ‘em? Let them go too?” Judge Moriarty asked.

 

Tran said she is working so hard because she is helping to support an older brother who attends Texas A&M University and a baby sister who lives with relatives in Houston. Tran said her parents divorced “out of the blue” and both moved away, leaving her in Willis. Her mother lives in Georgia, she said.

 

“I always thought our family was happy,” the teen said tearfully.

 

Tran lives with the family of one of her employers. They own a wedding venue. She works at the Vineyard of Waverly Manor on weekends and at a dry cleaners full time.

 

“She goes from job to job, from school she stays up ‘til 7 o’clock in the morning,” said her friend, co-worker and classmate Devin Hill. "

 

http://www.khou.com/news/local/Honor-Student-Jailed-for-Absences-153847275.html

Edited May 29, 2012 by RoughCollie