Texas Judge Jails Honor Student for Truancy

[Johnfromokc]

Teachers at my school would have taken care of her and the judge never would have known.

This is what should have happened. :homo:

As to the people here who are laying the blame back onto this 17 year old honor student and saying she should cut back on the work? Really?

The child was abandoned by her parents and she is now supporting herself.

Cut back on the work you say? Unless the parents are sending her rent and food money, how can she do that? It's not like she is playing 3 sports and is burning the candle at both ends. She is working 2 minimum wage jobs. Do you think she does that for fun?

Some of you act like this girl is working herself ragged for shits and giggles and should know better.

And to those that say it's only one night in jail and that a misdemeanor won't hurt her? I've seen a misdemeanor record follow people around their entire lives and hurt their educational and employment prospects. It's not always as cut and dried as some of you think - employers and colleges can run background checks and decline employment or admission if they so choose. So next you'll say that's illegal and she could fight it in court and win - with what money will she pay her lawyers and court fees?

I'm totally amazed at some people here. The one thing this girl needed was compassion and common sense from the adults in the community - but what she is getting is a bunch of bullshit from people with a "go by the book" attutude.


There may indeed be more to this story that we don't understand that has to do with this girls Asian culture - but one thing is certain - blaming this 17 year old girl is the WRONG thing for responsible adults to do.

 

[The Man]

She lives with one of her employers...she certainly shouldnt be supporting the older sibling in college..and its my understanding the younger sibling lives with a relative.
IMO some of her work is beyond what she needs..so therefore is bringing some of this on herself...Just to bring this into perspective.
I dont believe in jail time in general for a child missing school ...but it does appear to be the way they do things in Texas.
So the question is should an exception should have been made...at first I agreed..but now I am not so sure.
One thing for sure though I believe family services should be involved and the childs best interest should be taken care of..Foster care etc..then she wouldnt have to work.
As a side note
I think she could cut some work and go to school both if she wasnt giving all her money away.

 

[Accountable]

They are in America aren't they? I think we can blame lack human compassion and parenting skills on this one, not their beliefs.

I'm not passing any judgment (and suggest the same for you). I'm trying to figure out why an entire family of obviously high educational standards and close family obligations is not behaving as we in America would expect them to behave.

She lives with one of her employers...she certainly shouldnt be supporting the older sibling in college..and its my understanding the younger sibling lives with a relative.

I think we're making the wrong assumption by saying she is supporting the older sibling, as if the older sibling is doing nothing. I'm betting the older sibling is working his butt off as well, and they've done nothing in the way of loans or other things most of us would think would be the first option.

 

[Tim]

I absolutely give this girl kudos. She appears to be a very hard working girl with strong ties to her siblings. Never would I say that she is wrong for helping her brother.

I think the judge should have weighed all of these facts and helped her out, not punish her.

The truancy laws are to help kids understand how important it is to get a good education and punish those who don't go to school. Not to punish a straight A student who has fallen on tough times through no fault of their own. She should be rewarded for her hard work and dedication, not punished.




It's funny that you can read through all of the responses and see that those who are saying the punishment was ok, are the same ones that would be complaining about people who sponge off the system. Complaining about lazy kids with no motivation who are going no where...

 

[Johnfromokc]

It's funny that you can read through all of the responses and see that those who are saying the punishment was ok, are the same ones that would be complaining about people who sponge off the system. Complaining about lazy kids with no motivation who are going no where...

Indeed. SMH at some people's posts.

A lot of people have this "rules are rules" attitude and give far too much credit to our judicial system and far too much deference to judges that make piss poor judgements.

We should always question authority and hold them accountable for their actions. I question the competence of any sitting judge that would put this honor student in jail. There's a reason for the impeachment process even for judges.

 

[The Man]

Indeed. SMH at some people's posts.

A lot of people have this "rules are rules" attitude and give far too much credit to our judicial system and far too much deference to judges that make piss poor judgements.

We should always question authority and hold them accountable for their actions. I question the competence of any sitting judge that would put this honor student in jail. There's a reason for the impeachment process even for judges.

I dont agree with putting any child in jail for missing school...however this does appear to happen in texas.
IMO the rant needs to be aimed as much at Texas law than a single judge.

 

[Tim]

I dont agree with putting any child in jail for missing school...however this does appear to happen in texas.
IMO the rant needs to be aimed as much at Texas law than a single judge.

No, the judge had the absolute power to rule any way he wanted. The law didn't force him to put her in jail.
Judges have discretion over their rulings and can weight the facts as presented. It was this judge that decided that putting her in jail for the night was the right thing to do. I disagree.

 

[The Man]

No, the judge had the absolute power to rule any way he wanted. The law didn't force him to put her in jail.
Judges have discretion over their rulings and can weight the facts as presented. It was this judge that decided that putting her in jail for the night was the right thing to do. I disagree.

I didnt say the law forced him to put her in jail

 

[Accountable]

The judge was being lazy. He avoided the responsibility of actually judging by hiding behind precedent and the excuse of not wanting to appear weak.

 

[The Man]

I think we're making the wrong assumption by saying she is supporting the older sibling, as if the older sibling is doing nothing. I'm betting the older sibling is working his butt off as well, and they've done nothing in the way of loans or other things most of us would think would be the first option.

I think I read in one of the articles that she was supporting the older sibling {which turns out to be in college in another location...but that doesnt mean anything really ...supporting might simply be a 20 dollar bill mailed once in a while.
But still I have to wonder where this money is going....3 jobs and she lives with one employer..so that should leave some extra cash for sure.

This crap wouldnt fly where I am at...She would be getting aid and the parents would be locked up.
Foster care...and a couple less jobs in the future.

I find the case kinda odd.
No parents
Most places you have to have your parents present during court hearings etc.
She is living with an employer...rather than a place provided by the state for these situations.

 

[Tim]

BTW I went to high school working three jobs, DQ, Cracker Barrel, and Hy-Vee (nothing special, but is harder than one can imagine), and lived on my own my senior year and I was able to do so without having to deal with the truancy laws. I did have to make up time, which I did do because it was my fault for missing so much school time. But the point is that I owned up to it and didn't just try to wait for the problem to go away and not listen to the warning.

So I have a completely valid point of looking at it from the way I do so, unfortunately for those wanting to change my mind, it's not going to happen. That doesn't mean a night in jail was necessary, some form of punishment was though.

So are you saying that you also deserved some sort of punishment?

 

[AnitaBeer]

So are you saying that you also deserved some sort of punishment?

Absolutely, I knew it was my responsibility to get to school, even if I was worn out from working.
Which is why I said it was my fault, I owned up to it, and made up days. The making up days was the punishment in case you couldn't tell.

 

[Johnfromokc]

Looks like this judge backed off his dumbass decision:

http://www.khou.com/news/Judge-dism...ruant-honor-student-Diane-Tran-155830795.html

Silly Texicans.

 

[MoonOwl]

I heard a blurb on the news where some people got together and raised $70k (so far) for this girl to help w/her expenses. That should help her out a bit.

 

[Johnfromokc]

I heard a blurb on the news where some people got together and raised $70k (so far) for this girl to help w/her expenses. That should help her out a bit.

On that note, I think I heard the girl is going to donate that money to kids less fortunate than her! If that is the case, what a classy, hard working young lady she is!!!

 

[Accountable]

Looks like the political system worked this time. The judge stood his ground, thinking that if he didn't then his constituents might see him as being soft. Then, seeing that his constituents were seeing him as being a hardass, he changed his position. Sure, it would have been better to have a guy who naturally did the right thing, but those politicians are as rare as hen's teeth.

Sensible Texans made the judge make it right. :thumbup

 

[Johnfromokc]

Looks like the political system worked this time. The judge stood his ground, thinking that if he didn't then his constituents might see him as being soft. Then, seeing that his constituents were seeing him as being a hardass, he changed his position. Sure, it would have been better to have a guy who naturally did the right thing, but those politicians are as rare as hen's teeth.

Sensible Texans made the judge make it right. :thumbup

Some Texican's and other less anal retentive American's who do not subscribe to the "rules-are-rules" philosophy came to the girls aid and forced this asshat judge to show compassion.

Overall you Texicans are still a fairly strange bunch.

 

[Kakapo Dundee]

She retained the services of noted Houston attorney Brian Wice Wednesday, and hours later, she learned the charges against her were dismissed.

Is this a cause and effect statement, or just coincidence? Is commonsense only available to those with the right connections?

At what age is an American deemed to be responsible for their own choices? Seems to me that this young lady is an exceptionally motivated self-organiser. What possible benefit is there for jailing kids who miss school?

 

[MoonOwl]

On that note, I think I heard the girl is going to donate that money to kids less fortunate than her! If that is the case, what a classy, hard working young lady she is!!!

Really? I haven't heard that update yet. That would definitely be a 'pay it forward'..... Good for her.

 

[Johnfromokc]

She retained the services of noted Houston attorney Brian Wice Wednesday, and hours later, she learned the charges against her were dismissed.

Is this a cause and effect statement, or just coincidence? Is commonsense only available to those with the right connections?

Pretty much cause and effect. The power hungry assholes that run our justice system often have to be forced to do the right thing. This attorney came to the girls aid pro bono - otherwise this idiot "rules-are-rules" judge would have stuck by his decision.