Mom Charged For Sending Child To Better School

[MJS]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelo...-mom-who-sent-son-to-a-better-school-district

Education activists are rallying around a homeless woman who may face jail time for enrolling her son in kindergarten under a friend's address. Supporters say the woman's story is yet another dismaying example of inequality in the U.S. education system.
Tanya McDowell, a homeless single mother from Bridgeport, is charged with first-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny for signing up her 5-year-old son to attend nearby Norwalk schools under the address of a friend. (Her son went to the school for four months. Her friend has been evicted from public housing for letting McDowell use her address.) McDowell may face up to 20 years in prison and a $15,000 fine if convicted.

Thoughts?

 

[Carol]

She's homeless. Its not like she can legally be tied to the Bridgeport school system.

McDowell, who used to work in food services, told the Stamford Advocate she occasionally stayed in a Norwalk homeless shelter--but she didn't register there, which would have made her son eligible to attend the school. "I had no idea whatsoever that if you enroll your child in another school district, it becomes a crime," the 33-year-old told the paper.

So have her register at the Norwalk shelter and be done with it. Save the jail space for violent offenders.

 

[MJS]

Well, IMO, I can see the school system complaining about being in one area, and sending your kid to another, in addition to using someone elses address. But the fine and the jail time....IMO, seems a bit over the top. Unless someone comes up with a good argument for that, I think its a bit much.

 

[Archangel M]

Should be a civil issue, not a criminal one.

 

[Steve]

I don't know... sounds fishy to me. If everything is as stated, and she's just a mom looking to send her 5 year old to a public school in a particular school district, I think this is overkill. Charging her for any kind of criminal act seems unwarranted.

 

[Carol]

Well, IMO, I can see the school system complaining about being in one area, and sending your kid to another, in addition to using someone elses address. But the fine and the jail time....IMO, seems a bit over the top. Unless someone comes up with a good argument for that, I think its a bit much.

Sure, I can see that...but her being homeless, I'm not sure if she is really "in" one area consistently (aren't Bridgeport and Norwalk side by side...or am I getting confused?)

The friend in Norwalk was kicked out of her public housing unit over the incident. So now there are two homeless families instead of one, and one of them was hit with jail and a fine.

Makes a helluva good argument for the voucher system, eh?

 

[MJS]

Sure, I can see that...but her being homeless, I'm not sure if she is really "in" one area consistently (aren't Bridgeport and Norwalk side by side...or am I getting confused?)

The friend in Norwalk was kicked out of her public housing unit over the incident. So now there are two homeless families instead of one, and one of them was hit with jail and a fine.

Makes a helluva good argument for the voucher system, eh?

According to mapquest, they're about 16min apart. I'm going to ask this next question, because I honestly dont know. Is there really that much of a difference in the way kids are taught, from school to school? Is it really the school, or is it that the school is filled with people who just have no desire to learn?

 

[Steve]

If they're in the same district, they likely teach basically the same curriculum. It's possible that there is a program that the district can only fund at one school... but chances are that the average student wouldn't see much difference from one school to the other.

Now, if they're in different school districts, they could be radically different.

 

[MJS]

If they're in the same district, they likely teach basically the same curriculum. It's possible that there is a program that the district can only fund at one school... but chances are that the average student wouldn't see much difference from one school to the other.

Now, if they're in different school districts, they could be radically different.

I have no idea if they're in the same dist. or not. 2 different cities. So, what makes them that different? Is it just the programs offered, the way the teachers teach, etc?

 

[MA-Caver]

A child's education is at stake... and people want to nit-pick because a woman lied so that her child can get the best education she can find for them... right homeless people should be uneducated and useless.

 

[billc]

I can't wait till they have total control of our healthcare system. they do everything else so well.

 

[billc]

Remember when Obama and our senator here in Illinois, Dick durbin shut down the voucher program that let poor kids go to the same school as Obama's daughters. That was another great moment in democrat compassion for the education of poor children. Fortunately I heard the program was reinstated with the new republican budget deal.

 

[CoryKS]

If she's homeless, how did they determine that the child was supposed to go to a Bridgeport school?

 

[granfire]

I have no idea if they're in the same dist. or not. 2 different cities. So, what makes them that different? Is it just the programs offered, the way the teachers teach, etc?

Yes, it can make a HUGE difference.

During my Demo Team days (who ever could get off work to visit the elementary schools ) I saw pretty much all the schools in the city. There was a huge difference in the facilities from one to the other. Usually depending on the demography. And parents have been known to 'borrow' addresses to avoid one school in favor of another or demanding a (legal) switch from one to the other.
I personally don't get it why it's a big deal if they don't have to send the buss to the other location and pick the child up. But I am thinking like a normal person, not a burocrat.

 

[Steve]

It's about money, people. Number of students affects class sizes, books, materials, access to extra curricular activities, school lunches and the like.

I'm not in favor of what happened here. Criminal charges in this case seems completely over the top.

BUT. I live in a community where we have higher property taxes, and where we routinely vote to approve levies for education. I have complained about some of the bone headed things that my school board does, but overall, I am happy with the level of education that my kids receive.

Schools are funded by tax dollars collected at EVERY level of government, and at a local level I wouldn't want my money spent to educate kids who don't actually live in my community. I think that's a reasonable position to take. Particularly if the community adjacent to mine pays lower property taxes, a lower sales tax and routinely votes down levies for education.

Education is a complicated subject. Some people in this thread who have in the past railed against public education and been cold hearted when anyone suggests breaking the cycle of poverty are now arguing in favor of accessible education for everyone.

Honestly, I don't know where I fall on this one. I think the child needs an education. But when we distill the issue to its root, the issue of faking residence to have access to schools, that's dishonest, and if done to excess can disadvantage the kids who really do live in that district.

 

[ganglian]

I can't wait till they have total control of our healthcare system. they do everything else so well.

how was that relevant to the subject? It wasnt?

 

[LuckyKBoxer]

how was that relevant to the subject? It wasnt?

Do you just like riding Billicihaks *** or what? It does have to do with the subject, just because your looking to give someone a hard time doesn't mean its warranted. At least he added to the conversation.

as far as the actual subject goes, who cares our school system sucks as it is.
this is purely about the money.
and Its not the conservatives that are making a fuss about this woman moving her kid somewhere else.
I say bring the whole thing down and let the parents choose where to take their kids.

 

[Steve]

as far as the actual subject goes, who cares our school system sucks as it is.

Maybe yours does. Mine doesn't. It's not perfect, but it's better than the schools I attended as a kid. My 8th grade daughter's 2 years ahead in math, set to take the SATs this Summer. The school grades kids on both academic performance and employability. What a great tool for discussions with my son about "the real world." There's virtually no truancy in my school district (whereas I skipped class at least one full day each week in high school.)

Point is, public education is important and in many places in the country it is working.

As with any complicated subject, can it be done better? Sure. Can we hold our teachers to a higher standard? Absolutely, but we can also pay them according to their commitment and their relative importance to our society. I put educators right up there with firefighters, soldiers and police officers as being crucial to society.

Edit: Just... can you... please... never mention anyone riding Billicihak's *** again. A picture flashed in my head of a young Capt. Kirk in a compromising position with a prominent, closeted gay Republican politician.

 

[LuckyKBoxer]

Maybe yours does. Mine doesn't. It's not perfect, but it's better than the schools I attended as a kid. My 8th grade daughter's 2 years ahead in math, set to take the SATs this Summer. The school grades kids on both academic performance and employability. What a great tool for discussions with my son about "the real world." There's virtually no truancy in my school district (whereas I skipped class at least one full day each week in high school.)

Point is, public education is important and in many places in the country it is working.

As with any complicated subject, can it be done better? Sure. Can we hold our teachers to a higher standard? Absolutely, but we can also pay them according to their commitment and their relative importance to our society. I put educators right up there with firefighters, soldiers and police officers as being crucial to society.

Edit: Just... can you... please... never mention anyone riding Billicihak's *** again. A picture flashed in my head of a young Capt. Kirk in a compromising position with a prominent, closeted gay Republican politician.

I imagine more of your success if you and your wife setting the bar and working with your kids.
I guess my question is what is your schools graduation rate, what is the drop out rate, what is the schools placement in the local, state, and national levels, and how many of the graduates are going on to college, or better.

If it is really good then maybe the rest of the country needs to look at what you guys are doing up there.

 

[granfire]

Edit: Just... can you... please... never mention anyone riding Billicihak's *** again. A picture flashed in my head of a young Capt. Kirk in a compromising position with a prominent, closeted gay Republican politician.

:lfao: