Posted on 05/28/2012 6:05:44 PM PDT by AndyJackson
A 17-year-old high school student working two jobs to support her siblings, while juggling college-level classes, spent 24 hours in jail this week for missing too much school, KHOU 11 News reported.
Diane Tran, an 11th-grader at Willis High School in Willis, Texas said she was often too exhausted to get to school in time.
Judge Lanny Moriarty said he warned the student last month not to miss any more classes or she would be violating truancy law, KHOU 11 News reported. When she missed school again, he had her thrown in jail.
"If you let one run loose, what are you gonna do with the rest of 'em? Let them go too?" Judge Moriarty asked the TV station.
Tran said her parents divorced unexpectedly and left town, leaving it up to her to support her younger sister, who lives with relatives, and her brother's university education, KHOU 11 News reported.
Tran works full-time at a dry cleaner and weekends at Waverly Manor wedding venue, where she lives with the family that owns the business.
At school she takes several advanced placement and college-level courses, often staying up all night, a classmate, coworker and friend of Tran's told the TV station.
Judge Moriarty admitted he was using Tran as an example. Willis High School has a warning about truancy violation on its website .
According to Texas truancy law students can have no more than 10 unexcused absences - full days or part days - within six months, and no more than three absences within one month.
“it’s a very bad idea to kick motivated people in the face and rob them of their dignity.” Henry Bowman.
The law is what counts here. If he was upholding it, then that is what matters.
My whole point is that as conservatives, we do not believe in giving judges leeway of making law, only following it, unless SPECIFIC guidelines are given UNDER the law. If not, we are no better than the liberal scum we detest!
It is really easy to join the mob hating Judge Moriarty. But until I am convinced that he violated the law he has sworn to uphold, I will not convict him.
Fire away.....
The entire concept of "making an example" out of one person flies in the face of "equal protection under the law".
Any time the law is applied more harshly against one individual without just cause to do so, and out of mere caprice, a person shows they are not worthy of the power they wield.
There is also such a thing as 'prosecutorial discretion'. I'm not seeing that here, either.
Maybe there is more to this story. If there is, I'd like to know.
As for truancy laws, in my cynical opinion, they only exist to keep the 'body count' up in the schools so the funding keeps rolling in.
If we were discussing felonies yes you would not find argument on that point likely on this board. What we are talking about here though can usually in most states be handled by persons with some common sense in the school district. In other words Co-op in lieu of classes or does the state prohibit Co-OP programs as well? It should have never hit the court room to start with. The whole purpose for school is education. This girl had better than average grades. Someone with half a brain could have handled this. I know because been there done that with my school system when I took custody of a child who had missed maximum of unexcused days due to the parents actions. It never got to court even though the child missed considerably more in my care due to a lot of appointments the child needed.
This was what? A county court? From what I can read on a short search of Texas Compulsory attendance law it is THE PARENTS who face legal responsibility and any prosecution. By what authority is she being prosecuted? Judge wants someone to make an example of it should have been the parents and not her. BTW what was this doing in a court that gives her an adult criminal record? She didn't shoplift, rob a store or steal a car. She was working, even while she was working making Honor Grades, and caring for her siblings. No good deed goes unpunished especially under Authoritarian State mandates.
You are not a conservative because one thing for sure is that conservatives value wisdom and judgment. Your friend has none, nor, it appears, do you. Since when did we criminalize truancy, which used to be a civil matter, I thought. Having criminalized it, however, one element of a crime is criminal intent - did I set out to commit this crime to enjoy the fruits of my criminal behavior. Sounds like this hardworking responsible young lady, whom you appear to dispise so much, was not enjoying the fruits of much of anything.
You are actually a heartless so and so, just the kind of person who gives conservatives a bad name.
THat’s the age it sued to be in Texas. Maybe it’s changed.
Apparently it has changed.
Compulsory Attendance
In Texas, children who are 6, or who are younger than 6, but have previously been enrolled in 1st grade, and not yet 18, are required to attend school, unless exempted by law. School employees investigate and report violations of the state compulsory attendance laws. Education Code Sections 25.085 and 25.087 require a person who is 18 or older, and is enrolled in public school, to attend school each day. If a person who is 18 or older and is enrolled in public school has more than five consecutive unexcused absences in one semester, the school district may revoke the person’s enrollment for the remainder of the year. Any student that has been absent for 20 consecutive unexcused school days may be withdrawn from school.
http://www.mckinneyisd.net/parents/attendance/?Id=7
Thank you for the information. Back in the dark ages, the 1970’s, when I was in High School, after 16 you were free to leave.
Does Texas enforce this for gangbangers and babymammas too?
“...student working two jobs “
I think I see the problem here....working two jobs deprives another of a job elevating the unemployment rate.....and just also might lead to independence from the liberals running the welfare state...so that’s also a crime against the nation.../s
There’s a fundraising effort going on for her. Hope she has someone in the community who she can trust to help her use the money wisely for the future of herself and her siblings.
Group raises more than $70G for Texas honor student jailed for truancy
Published May 30, 2012
FoxNews.com
I’ve made a few “paging Henry Bowman” comments around here lol.
I am a conservative and I am not heartless, but the State Legislature of Texas is who you have a problem with. I wouldn’t believe anything the media said.
The judge does not break the law. So why dont you take a step back and calm yourself down before you start throwing out insults. In this upcoming election ALL of us need to be united to get rid of Obama. Calm your happy butt down.
Real conservatives are not amiss to a bit of common sense when the law is misapplied. They’re not legalistic robots.
That is correct. The prosecutor brought up the charges. Lanny is a dang smart fellow, and there had to be a reason he gave her jail time.
I agree with what you say, but the Municipal Court had the authority to prosecute. If the prosecution brings it before the judge, then it is his responsibility to uphold the letter of the law. I am trying to get in touch with Lanny, but it isn’t easy when a witch hunt is going on!
Then do tell, FRiend.
I have left calls for him and Constable Pct 1, waiting for a response. Spk to Gene DeForest, Constable Pct 3, sys Lanny deals with kids everyday that are habitual liars when it comes to truancy, and that he obviously did NOT believe her story.
Anyway, as i said earlier, the press cannot be trusted!
I have left calls for him and Constable Pct 1, waiting for a response. Spk to Gene DeForest, Constable Pct 3, sys Lanny deals with kids everyday that are habitual liars when it comes to truancy, and that he obviously did NOT believe her story.
Anyway, as i said earlier, the press cannot be trusted!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.