Posted on 02/07/2009 5:05:20 PM PST by King of Card Games
She and brother-in-law convicted for using his McDonough address to enroll boy
A Clayton County woman says she was only trying to do right by her teenage son when they moved into her sister’s home and enrolled him in the Henry County school system.
But that enrollment — at a time when area schools are loath to take nonresidents — was a costly move.
A Henry County Superior Court jury found both Tanja Revette Hale of Rex and her brother-in-law, James Lewis of McDonough, guilty of one count each of “making a false writing” this week in what is believed to be the first such school enrollment case to go to a jury trial in Henry County.
The case is notable in that the penalty could set a precedent for others convicted of the same offense, especially as students flee neighboring Clayton County’s loss of school accreditation.
Hale is adamant she did nothing wrong.
“I’ve never heard of a parent going to jail for taking care of their kids,” said Hale, a bartender and single mother of six children. “I’ve heard of parents going to jail for not taking care of their kids. But taking care of their kids? That’s crazy.”
As first-time felons, Hale and Lewis were placed on five years’ probation, and each was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine. In addition, they must complete 100 hours of community service and repay the Henry County school system nearly $1,200 in tuition costs from the first half of her son’s year at Louella High School.
(Excerpt) Read more at ajc.com ...
A Henry County Superior Court jury found both Tanja Revette Hale of Rex and her brother-in-law, James Lewis of McDonough, guilty of one count each of “making a false writing” this week in what is believed to be the first such school enrollment case to go to a jury trial in Henry County.
The "false writing" (lie on the enrollment form?) shows that Ms. Hale knew that what she was doing was against the law. The lie then led to monetary damages to the Henry school system. Unfortunately, it does indeed seem that a crime was committed, although Ms. Hale's intentions were laudable.
Yeh it was wrong but that is a felony?
They are opening up a can of worms that they never anticipated. Home School them, Mrs. Hale.
For crying out loud. Do you know how many children of illegal aliens are enrolled in Georgia public schools? This woman is a felon, while the parasitical illegal aliens waltz around freely, literally living off our land?
If they physically moved him into her sister’s house to live, how is this wrong???
Apparently it's worse than forging a birth certificate...
Exactly and why is this woman a felon when so many illegals are ILLEGALY enrolled?
uh. Two?
All depends on who you are if the press is on your side I guess.
If I was her I would appeal and insist on an investigation regarding that ever child in that school lives where they say they do.
They go after out of town parents who enroll their kids in our schools too. Can’t do anything about the illegals, though. This country is so screwed.
Seriously. More special treatment for illegal aliens. How come they don't go after them for lying on their forms?
The Atlanta area is overrun with illegals. The last time I was in the area, I thought I was in Mexico.
The billboards in my area are evenly divided between Spanish and Vietnamese.
ditto!
I can understand why she did it, but, people like her are why my property taxes have more than doubled in 10 years.
I live in Henry County, she lives in Clayton. Clayton County School District is the first district in the State to be de-certified since 1969, that’s how bad they are.
The new Sheriff, under protection of machined gun armed troopers, some standing on top of buildings, fired nearly half the force, and had them escorted off the property immediately. And those were the good cops!
We’ve had a gold rush of people moving and carpetbagging to our County in the last 3-5 years, and they aren’t usually the people most of us would want as neighbors, either.
Section 8 renters, junk cars on the lawn, ghetto dogs running loose, and gang banger boombox music playing at all hours.
Jail is too easy, three hots and a cot, and I get the tab. They need to pay back in some form of community service. My lawn needs tilling this year.
Oops. Seemed like a good idea at the time.
My former school district in Ohio did nothing about it and just got out of their $2 million in debt.
At one point that novel was considered respectable literature, but I guess it can't be since it was promoting felonious conduct.
Oops. Seemed like a good idea at the time.
"The district has lost about 3,500 students since losing accreditation, Superintendent John Thompson said last week."
"Henry County currently lists nearly 40,000 students, with 7,400 of those being served in portable classrooms."
If I were going to put my kid in a different school district - I'd at least enroll my kid in a good school district...like one that has accreditation and no portable classrooms trailers.
On top of it, her sister was a trial lawyer - and she represented herself????
Not the brightest crayon in the box if you ask me.
Ok- if she is lying, then that is a problem.
This could get nasty, I would keep my eye on the news about an outbreak of school vandalism.
All the more reason to protect your children from liberal indoctrination, homeschool.
***********************
It's called the letter of the law....
NOT how you feel about it...
Add to that Hale failed to fill out a mail-forwarding form, an act that would have probably validated her claim of living at her sister's house.
She didn’t fail to fill it out, she’s still living in her house in Rex, Clayton County, right off of Hwy 42.
This was the same municipality, and the same taxes were paid - to Kansas City. Interestingly enough, the Center school district actually got LESS funding than KCMO per student from the city, state, and federal (due to a discrimination law suit) governments.
But my mother wasn't charged with a felony! That's just absurd, but it does focus on what's important: To this parent, getting her child a decent education. To the government and schools, getting the money.
Mark
Probably because they don't fill out the forms. A school employee does it for them.
Or a community organizer.
Wash, rinse and apply that template to universal health care.
LOL! Damned if you do & damned if you don’t. In Ga, having 10 unexcused absences will bring cops with warrants looking for Mom & Dad. They will be escorted to the county jail.
I do feel for the mother. What she did was wrong & against the law. If I lived in Clayton County & could not afford to move, I would do the same. All of those kids in Clayton County have been left behind.
background:
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/metro/clayton/stories/2008/08/28/clayton_schools_accreditation.html
Clayton schools lose accreditation; board members ousted
Status could be restored retroactively if district meets mandates within a year
By MEGAN MATTEUCCI
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Clayton County schools are the first in the nation in the past 40 years to lose accreditation, failing to meet eight of nine improvement mandates.
The action by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools came a few hours prior to Gov. Sonny Perdue’s announcement that he was immediately removing four school board members found to have flouted the law. A state administrative judge had recommended their removal.
(excerpt)
You have got to be kidding. Georgia is totally overrun with Mexican illegal aliens. Perhaps you haven’t noticed, If you are from California, you wouldn’t know the difference.
Single mother of six. Bartender. History of felony assault. Represented herself. Sounds like the stereotypical resident of the country she fled.
Yep.
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