Judge throws honor student in jail for truancy.

[mx5er]

And of course it's Texas http://news.yahoo.com/video/houston1...-29458964.html

The girl work full-time plus another part-time and goes to school. I'm Asian and the stuff she does makes me look like a bum when I was her age and ashamed of myself.

The judge says a night in jail isn't going to kill her . Oh yes it will. Once it goes on her record, you can kiss her college prospects pretty much goodbye. And after things could spiral downward from there.

Stupid judge is too f***in' lazy to take the time and look at her situation. But I'm sure that will eat into his golf schedule

Is she skippin' school b/c she's in a f0ckin' gang? NO! Is she skippin' school to just hang out at the mall and shoplift??? NO!!! This dumbass is missing the entire point of the truancy law.

[nm+]

Stupid, but I'd note that as a juvenile, her record is probably sealed at 18 (or at least eligible to be sealed) as this isn't an adult offense (status offenses cannot be adult in any state as far as I know).

Once again though, this case shows our nation's irrational love of incarceration as the primary means of corrections and punishment.
Funny, at 17, she's nearly certainly eligible to drop out, I'm not sure that should be the judge's goal. That said in her circumstance, taking the GED and giving the judge the metaphorical finger wouldn't be terrible.

[mx5er]

But I'm sure something like this will show up on her school record for truancy. And won't prospective colleges look at that?

[GRNWNV]

Another zero tolerance policy gone wrong.

[backseatdelete]

Yes, Texas juvenile record sealed at 18 is correct, minus capital and federal charges. Trust me, I know.

Source: backseatdelete is a 22 year Texas resident, juvenile state jail felony offender, small college scholarship receiver, and "no" checker on the felony conviction box on a job application.

[pknopp]

And of course it's Texas

You can find stupid stories like this all over the country.

[kenny301]

Another zero tolerance policy gone wrong.

Yep. Zero tolerance is rarely effective and usually it punishes those who don't deserve harsh punishments.

[Pappy]

Stupid, but I'd note that as a juvenile, her record is probably sealed at 18 (or at least eligible to be sealed) as this isn't an adult offense (status offenses cannot be adult in any state as far as I know).

"Sealed records" really means very little. Nothing's ever truly sealed.

[Señor Peligro]

Bunch of meatheads in Texas.

[TASVW]

FREEDOM!!! Love it or leave it!!!

[Big M]

That said in her circumstance, taking the GED and giving the judge the metaphorical finger wouldn't be terrible.

The judge won't care one bit about any metaphorical finger. This reckless and wrong decision on his part will never, ever come back to bite him. And that's a shame, because he sounds like a damn fool.

[Egilbe]

The judge won't care one bit about any metaphorical finger. This reckless and wrong decision on his part will never, ever come back to bite him. And that's a shame, because he sounds like a damn fool.

I think he's racist

[kimilein]

This girl's truancy is certainly Texas' biggest worry when it comes to education.

Let me know when Texas manages to turn around their miserable education system.

[Air-over-water]

Let me know when Texas manages to turn around their miserable education system.

That wont happen until the idiotic religious nuts stop thinking they know how to run an educational system...

[mx5er]

I hope this goes all the way up to the governor's office. But then again, it's Rick Perry we're talkin' about

He's probably like: "Only one night!?"

Even if her record is sealed b/c she's under 18, won't something like this show up on her school records? Where colleges she applied could see? And yeah, she's taking all those advance placement classes for fun

It creams my corn b/c the girl working hard amidst an already difficult situation. Then only to have some wannabe hard-a$$ judge throw a monkey wrench into her plans.

Let the girl achieve her goals and future. If the judge wants to punish her, then make her perform community service or a fine. Don't tarnish her record and let her go to college. Don't let her potentially fall into the cracks.

[Egilbe]

She can always turn it into a postive. "I worked a full-time job, a part-time job, took AP classes and was on the honor roll. I was jailed because I felt it was more important to work to feed my family than go to school. I feel my priorities are in the right order"

[pknopp]

That wont happen until the idiotic religious nuts stop thinking they know how to run an educational system...

They should take a few lessons from D.C.

[Pappy]

There's a very real chance that this publicity will actually work in her favor when applying to colleges/universities.

[VDubby18]

Stupid, but I'd note that as a juvenile, her record is probably sealed at 18 (or at least eligible to be sealed) as this isn't an adult offense (status offenses cannot be adult in any state as far as I know).

.

Sealing a juvenile record only hides the record from people who don't matter. Such as the public. Anyone who has the proper access can see their record no problem. There's no such thing as a 100% sealed record.

[nm+]

Sealing a juvenile record only hides the record from people who don't matter. Such as the public. Anyone who has the proper access can see their record no problem. There's no such thing as a 100% sealed record.

I don't know what they do in TX, but in CA a properly sealed juvi record is pretty sealed. Note that a proper seal requires the juvenile's action and many people do not do it. No one beyond law enforcement is getting a look, and I don't think this girl is going to get in trouble as an adult.
Admittedly, having her name in the paper (which would not happen in a CA proceeding, they are closed to the public and names are not published), kind of defeats that.

[backseatdelete]

Sealing a juvenile record only hides the record from people who don't matter. Such as the public. Anyone who has the proper access can see their record no problem. There's no such thing as a 100% sealed record.

When I had my record-sealing hearing / paperwork frenzy in '07, I was informed by both the judge and my attorney that the military and major FBI investigation (federal indictment) are the only ones who can "open it up". The court record still exist as this guy was here on this day for this plea, but as far as a criminal record, its perfectly clean. (I'm agreeing with you, just with more specificz'sz)

[mx5er]

Judge dismisses all charges, record remains clear: http://news.yahoo.com/video/houston1...-29511846.html



Glad to see the lawyer stepping up and working pro bono and all the money raised will be donated to worthy causes.

[peoples_car]

Not gonna lie, I had to quickly look up the definition of Truancy after reading the thread title.

Good talk, I'll see you out there

[ATL_Av8r]

Yes, Texas juvenile record sealed at 18 is correct, minus capital and federal charges. Trust me, I know.

Source: backseatdelete is a 22 year Texas resident, juvenile state jail felony offender, small college scholarship receiver, and "no" checker on the felony conviction box on a job application.

This needs to be explored deeper

[FlashRedGLS1.8T]

Judge dismisses all charges, record remains clear: http://news.yahoo.com/video/houston1...-29511846.html



Glad to see the lawyer stepping up and working pro bono and all the money raised will be donated to worthy causes.

That's pretty cool.

[Hostile]

Judge dismisses all charges, record remains clear: http://news.yahoo.com/video/houston1...-29511846.html



Glad to see the lawyer stepping up and working pro bono and all the money raised will be donated to worthy causes.

The girl "lives in her employer's house"...? Honor roll student is live-in Geisha?

EDIT: Oh wow. Her parent's separated and moved away, abandoning their children?? She was working 2 jobs to support her brother in college and younger sister. Is she even old enough to do that?

[Big M]

The girl "lives in her employer's house"...? Honor roll student is live-in Geisha?

EDIT: Oh wow. Her parent's separated and moved away, abandoning their children?? She was working 2 jobs to support her brother in college and younger sister. Is she even old enough to do that?

No! Let's throw her the **** in jail!