WTH? Texas judge jails honor student for taking care of her sibling... FAIL!!!

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Anonemous

Diamond Member
May 19, 2003
7,361
1
71
Only in Texas...

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/18626605/texas-honors-student-jailed-for-excessive-truancy

WTH is wrong with texas? He jails and fines an honor student for taking care of her sister when her parents left them. And she is working 2 jobs to support her sibling. Wow, just to make an 'example' out of this truant teen who is taking college courses...

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TX (CBS ATLANTA) -
An honor student in Texas was thrown in jail after she missed too many classes at her high school.

A judge issued Diane Tran, 17, a summons Wednesday for her excessive truancy after she missed class. She was arrested in open court.

Last month, Tran was issued a warning by the judge for missing school.

Tran said she works both full-time and part-time jobs, in addition to taking advanced and college level courses.

But the judge said Tran's case was bigger than the individual situation of one student.

"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."

But Tran's classmates said she had a lot more to juggle than the average teen.

"She goes from job to job from school. She stays up until 7 a.m. in the morning doing her homework," said Devin Hill, a classmate and co-worker.

On top of that, Tran said her parents spilt up and moved away, leaving her to support her younger sister.

The judge admitted that he wanted to make an example of the teen.

Tran had to spend 24 hours in jail and had to pay a $100 fine.

Copyright 2012 WGCL-TV (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
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Judge's info is listed in the comments...

Update: Record expunged by judge who has a change of heart. http://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...-against-honor-student-jailed-for-3596613.php
 
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mmntech

mmntech

Lifer
Sep 20, 2007
17,501
12
0
As the old joke goes. What do you call an incompetent lawyer? ... Your honour. I doubt she can afford a lawyer but the state should definitely look into it. Given the factors in this individual case, it was the wrong decision both legally and ethically. Zero tolerance doesn't work.
 
Zstream

Zstream

Diamond Member
Oct 24, 2005
3,395
277
136
Interesting comment:

"Honestly, it sounds a little strange.
If her brother is at Texas A&M why is she supporting him?
If her younger sister lives with relatives why is she supporting her?
She lives with her part time employers so she isn't paying rent...."

I think it's a little exaggerated the amount of work she is doing but the judge should use some sense.
 
mmntech

mmntech

Lifer
Sep 20, 2007
17,501
12
0
Anonemous said:
http://www.khou.com/news/local/Peop...nor-student-jailed-for-truancy-154235505.html

Holy crap she's also supporting her brother who is in college?
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There's a petition to revoke her sentence at that link. I'm not big on law suits but I also think that the state should compensate her as well. Preferably out of this judge's own pocket.

A valid point made by Facebook commenters is what about the parents. Child abandonment is considered a crime in Texas. I'm not sure what the cutoff age is. However, if the judge wanted to make an example of anyone, it should have been them.
 
sandorski

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
70,778
6,338
126
dighn said:
you can get thrown in jail for missing class? what country is this?!
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Indeed. That's some messed up shit. I am often perplexed why Americans are so anti-Government, then I hear of things like this and begin to understand. Unfortunately, they have only themselves to blame for such legal nonsense.
 
sixone

sixone

Lifer
May 3, 2004
25,030
5
61
Who's the teacher or administrator who reported her for missing class? They should be fired, as well as the judge.
 
Baked

Baked

Lifer
Dec 28, 2004
36,052
17
81
Awesome job getting married and having kids then split the fuck up to ruin your children's life because you two fucking dumbasses didn't think it through before you hook up and couldn't tolerate each other's flaws after you hook up. The parents should be decapitated.
 
0roo0roo

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,795
84
91
Baked said:
Awesome job getting married and having kids then split the fuck up to ruin your children's life because you two fucking dumbasses didn't think it through before you hook up and couldn't tolerate each other's flaws after you hook up. The parents should be decapitated.
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government only makes it worse, so meh
 
CPA

CPA

Elite Member
Nov 19, 2001
30,322
4
0
Baked said:
It's not the government's fault people are so bitter about divorce and fighting over custody. It's the damn attorneys' fault.
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the teacher who reported her is a government employee. The judge who sentenced her is a government employee. The state congressmen who wrote the law are government employees. The governor who signed the law is the head of the state government. The government is not clean of fault in this case.
 
S

ShawnD1

Lifer
May 24, 2003
15,987
2
81
Fingolfin269 said:
Exactly what is this judge going for here?
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Taking care of people is bad! That should be the government's job. We need to make more examples like this.

Lenin5.jpg
 
Bateluer

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
8
0
mmntech said:
A valid point made by Facebook commenters is what about the parents. Child abandonment is considered a crime in Texas. I'm not sure what the cutoff age is. However, if the judge wanted to make an example of anyone, it should have been them.
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http://law.onecle.com/texas/penal/22.041.00.html

(b) A person commits an offense if, having custody, care, or
control of a child younger than 15 years, he intentionally abandons
the child in any place under circumstances that expose the child to
an unreasonable risk of harm.
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Girl is 17, parents can ditch her if they wish. How old is her younger sister?
 
lxskllr

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
59,994
10,475
126
dighn said:
you can get thrown in jail for missing class? what country is this?!
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The great republic of Texas. Letting them join the union was one of the worst mistakes this country made. There's a problem with the air or something down there...
 
B

bononos

Diamond Member
Aug 21, 2011
3,938
190
106
I did not read the links but I think that the judge wanted to make an example of her for not notifying authorities and not for working/studying hard to support whats left of her family.
 
S

ShawnD1

Lifer
May 24, 2003
15,987
2
81
bononos said:
I did not read the links but I think that the judge wanted to make an example of her for not notifying authorities and not for working/studying hard to support whats left of her family.
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Notifying authorities of what?
 
Broheim

Broheim

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2011
4,587
3
81
thrown in jail for missing classes.... lolamerica

also, I'm glad I don't live in a country where a 15 year old would be forced to fend for him/herself if his/her parents just decided to split.
 
S

SsupernovaE

Golden Member
Dec 12, 2006
1,128
0
76
Broheim said:
thrown in jail for missing classes.... lolamerica

also, I'm glad I don't live in a country where a 15 year old would be forced to fend for him/herself if his/her parents just decided to split.
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She shouldn't have to fend for herself. There are foster care systems set in place for precisely this sort of situation. She should have been admitted into the system. This system exists in every state in the Union; although maybe something stupid like this would likely happen in Texas. They act like a completely different country compared to the rest of the US. Don't condemn the rest of the country for the Wild West mentality of the "Lone Star" state.
 
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