USA Texas honor student jailed for missing too much school, Update post 14

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

Texas honor student jailed for missing too much school
Posted: May 25, 2012 11:19 AM Updated: May 26, 2012 7:07 AM
By CBSAtlanta.com Web Staff
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."

Excerpt - Article continues here: (with video)
http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/18626605/texas-honors-student-jailed-for-excessive-truancy

One rule fits all.
Obviously this hard worker sets a bad example for her class mates.
Fortunately the judge sets the proper example as he admittedly wants to set an example of this obviously wayward teen. Sarcasam off.

Article from the Montgomery (TX) Recorder - the local paper

Fine upstanding example of a Judge --- well Justice of the Peace - not required to be an attorney.

Justice of the Peace, Lanny Moriarty – TEC Resolution – $2,800 Civil Fine
Posted on May 11, 2009 at 1:29 pm. Tags: Campaign Finance Reports, Justice of the Peace, Resolution, TEC

The file below contains the Texas Ethics Commission’s Order and Agreed Resolution for Montgomery County, Texas, Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace, Lanny Moriarty.
JP Moriarty agreed to pay a $2,800 civil fine for various alleged mistakes made on campaign finance reports.

Some of the alleged mistakes listed included receiving contributions from corporations.

Additional alleged mistakes included failure to file timely and complete campaign finance reports.

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Yeah, don't let someone who is supporting herself and her sister and maintaining honor roll grades while taking college level classes. She may figure out what a putz the Judge is. Obviously the school system failed to create a mindless robot of her. Him, not so much.

DM

Well it shows how little she actually is missing in school if she's still an honor student. What an outlandish waste of time, resources and money to go pick up and jail someone who is simply working hard - and still managing to take and do well in advanced and college classes!

Looks like there's another judge that needs to find a new job. At 17, she can legally drop out of school. The fact that she's still attending given her hardships shows a lot of character.

Rather than attack the girl for missing a class, someone needs to go after the parents for abandoning two of their underage children without support.

Given his previous ethics problems, I have to wonder if this judge isn't involved in jailing teens for profit. His decision makes no sense whatever. Let the students miss as much school as they wish, as long as they maintain honor student grades. So, instead, we punish this young lady for hard work, ethics, and brains, and reward the punks in school just because they show up. Up yours, judge idiot!

Here's another line from the article that was left out above. It shows even more what this poor girl is up against.

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

There are even deeper issues here, including - and especially - the right of the state to force anyone to go to school. Is going to school a good thing? In broad terms but-with-major-qualifications, I would say yes, though there are a lot of absolutely hellish schools in the United States that I wouldn't send my worst enemy's worst child to!

I suspect the girl in the story is a high-IQ, over-achiever type who'll do well iin spite of school.

Best regards
Doc

This judge needs to be removed form the bench he is a a total idiot.

Bad Hand said:

This judge needs to be removed form the bench he is a a total idiot.

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Unfortunately, he is not up for re-election for 2 years -- maybe 'something' will happen in the mean time. No recall votes in TX, though.

DM

I suspect she stays in school so the school system will pay for her college credits while she has dual enrollment. She is one smart cookie. I hope she has a good advocate who can assist her in working thru the legalities of what is going on in regards to school. Also hope the judge can find discover she is probably not the only one who is truant and go after the rest, who probably really need it.

kua said:

I suspect she stays in school so the school system will pay for her college credits while she has dual enrollment. She is one smart cookie. I hope she has a good advocate who can assist her in working thru the legalities of what is going on in regards to school. Also hope the judge can find discover she is probably not the only one who is truant and go after the rest, who probably really need it.

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The whole issue will soon be moot. Graduation for her and most of the Texas schools are within a week. She has already spent the night in jail; paid the $100 fine and the snarky Houston TV stations are on this like ugly on a snake. TV coverage was picked up by San Antonio TV.

The reporter got on the Judge on air like she was Perry Mason and made him look like an idiot.....but then IMHO that was an easy task.

DM

This actually falls on the principal/asst. principal, whoever it is job to file truancy charges with the local JOP/court. It all comes down to money for the school - the average daily attendance numbers are all important to schools. When I taught in TX, I had a young lady in one of my classes spend 30 days in the county jail for truancy/attendance issues. The asst. principal was in charge of filing truancy charges with the local JOP. The school would sent out letters, phone calls, and sometimes the police to take into custody a student, in cuffs sometimes, at the home and deliver him/her to the school. I know, it is somewhat extreme, but everything is bigger in TX - right? They can do this, as it is written in the state education statutes - law.

Charges dropped against honor student jailed for truancy

Updated 05:04 p.m., Wednesday, May 30, 2012

The 17-year-old Willis High School honor student whose 24-hour stay in jail for excessive truancy drew national attention has had the charge rescinded today, records show.

Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Lanny Moriarty, at the Montgomery County District Attorney's request, signed an order that vacates the contempt of court conviction that sent Diane Tran to jail last week.

The decision clears the way for her to go to district court and have the issue entirely expunged from her record.

The action was taken, in part, after Moriarty looked at the extenuating circumstances that had resulted in Tran missing school and because her court summons had failed to notify her of her right to an attorney or to have one appointed for her, officials said.

Moriarty had counseled Tran the first time she was summoned to his court for excessive truancy on April 25. He explained the importance of attending classes and ordered her to start attending regularly.

But then on May 23 Tran was brought back for failing to attend an additional four days and missed part of another four days.

Tran, a junior, could not be reached for comment. Her attorney, Brian Wice, said he is working to get her record expunged and does not want her talking to anyone until that is complete.

Her case created a national uproar after various media reported that she had legitimate reasons for being too exhausted to attend classes. In a with KHOU (Channel 11), Tran cried about her parents divorcing and leaving her to fend for herself. She talked of working two jobs and helping support two other siblings.

She was living three or four days a week with the owner of a wedding venue, The Vineyards of Waverly Manor, the owner's granddaughter, Starla Hill said.

"The rest of the time she stays at her own apartment where her father visits her when he's not working in Houston," Hill said.

To support herself, Tran helps cater the wedding events on the weekends and then works at a dry cleaners everyday after school until it closes at night, Hill said.

Some of her money also helps assist a younger sister living with another Houston relative and her brother who is attending Texas A&M, Hill added.

When her jobs are done, Tran must also complete hours of homework for the heavy course-load she's taking.

"She's not failing any classes and getting more As than Bs," said Hill, who felt locking her up in jail was wrong.

"She's doing the best she can."

Willis ISD spokeswoman Erin Kleinecke said mandatory attendance laws require schools to report any child who has repeated absences and any penalties issued are at the court's discretion.

Kleinecke said she could not discuss the particular student's grades or attendance records.

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...-against-honor-student-jailed-for-3596613.php

Seems that JP Judge got his arse reamed by the DA. Wish the DA had sentenced the JP to a 24hr jail stay.

Students like Tran make the lazy ones look bad. Such things can't be tolerated.

Wasn't she fined $100 as well? Will that be rescinded or returned to her? Did anyone offer to step forward and pay this in her behalf?

Green Co. said:

Charges dropped against honor student jailed for truancy

Updated 05:04 p.m., Wednesday, May 30, 2012

The 17-year-old Willis High School honor student whose 24-hour stay in jail for excessive truancy drew national attention has had the charge rescinded today, records show.

Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Lanny Moriarty, at the Montgomery County District Attorney's request, signed an order that vacates the contempt of court conviction that sent Diane Tran to jail last week.

The decision clears the way for her to go to district court and have the issue entirely expunged from her record.

The action was taken, in part, after Moriarty looked at the extenuating circumstances that had resulted in Tran missing school and because her court summons had failed to notify her of her right to an attorney or to have one appointed for her, officials said.

Moriarty had counseled Tran the first time she was summoned to his court for excessive truancy on April 25. He explained the importance of attending classes and ordered her to start attending regularly.

But then on May 23 Tran was brought back for failing to attend an additional four days and missed part of another four days.

Tran, a junior, could not be reached for comment. Her attorney, Brian Wice, said he is working to get her record expunged and does not want her talking to anyone until that is complete.

Her case created a national uproar after various media reported that she had legitimate reasons for being too exhausted to attend classes. In a with KHOU (Channel 11), Tran cried about her parents divorcing and leaving her to fend for herself. She talked of working two jobs and helping support two other siblings.

She was living three or four days a week with the owner of a wedding venue, The Vineyards of Waverly Manor, the owner's granddaughter, Starla Hill said.

"The rest of the time she stays at her own apartment where her father visits her when he's not working in Houston," Hill said.

To support herself, Tran helps cater the wedding events on the weekends and then works at a dry cleaners everyday after school until it closes at night, Hill said.

Some of her money also helps assist a younger sister living with another Houston relative and her brother who is attending Texas A&M, Hill added.

When her jobs are done, Tran must also complete hours of homework for the heavy course-load she's taking.

"She's not failing any classes and getting more As than Bs," said Hill, who felt locking her up in jail was wrong.

"She's doing the best she can."

Willis ISD spokeswoman Erin Kleinecke said mandatory attendance laws require schools to report any child who has repeated absences and any penalties issued are at the court's discretion.

Kleinecke said she could not discuss the particular student's grades or attendance records.

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...-against-honor-student-jailed-for-3596613.php

Seems that JP Judge got his arse reamed by the DA. Wish the DA had sentenced the JP to a 24hr jail stay.

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All of this could have been avoided if the school had some common sense about her situation. I've sat on too many attendance committee sessions to know that this could have dealt with in another way. The first bolded part is mine and it shows that the school is trying to get out of any responsibility for getting this ball rolling in the first place.

Seeker said:

Wasn't she fined $100 as well? Will that be rescinded or returned to her? Did anyone offer to step forward and pay this in her behalf?

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if i could afford it, i'd send her some money to help make up for it. that's a lot of money to lose in her situation.

The judge needs to meet a group of thugs on the street and have the living *(&* beat straight out of him/her and then put thrown in the slammer and become someones prize piece of meat.

Watchman2

Cag3db1rd said:

if i could afford it, i'd send her some money to help make up for it. that's a lot of money to lose in her situation.

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Never fear, local news reports that Ms. Tran has received $90,000+ in donations since the story went viral.

Dumb JP Judge may have inadvertently done her a favor. Now, if we can keep the IRS away from her.......

. . . showing, once again, how generous and giving the American public is, especially when an injustice has been brought to their attention.. . .$100,000 raised for Diane Tran

WOW! We never imagined that we would reach our initial goal of $100,000 to help Diane so quickly. Thank you all for your support for Diane!

HelpDianeTran.com is a project of the Louisiana Children's Education Alliance, a 501c3 organization. Website donated by Gatorworks. Online donations powered by Anedot. 100% of the money raised (less any credit card processing or transaction costs) will go into a trust account in Diane Tran's name. If you have any questions or comments, you can contact us via Facebook.com/HelpDianeTran.

http://www.helpdianetran.com/