Kelley Williams-Bolar: Mom jailed for wanting to give kids a better life - Education - Salon.com

Kelley Williams-Bolar: Mom jailed for wanting to give kids a better life - Education - Salon.com

This has hit the news, and I understand both sides.

She broke the law, she deserved it.
She was only doing the best for her kids.

Being a parent, and a citizen who enjoys the laws that protect me, I believe I can see both sides of the issue. And with the full faith and power of Parent and American, I can say:

Bullshit.

There's the legal bullshit-
A felony? For completing paperwork that states your children have a right to go to the school? I think anyone could come up with 10 felonies off the top of their head, and none of them would start with "When completing school enrollment forms..."
Also, her father lived in the district. He paid property taxes. If he has no kids that attend school, does he still pay taxes? Yes. So, if his granddaughters attend, why the hell would the judge think making the mom pay $30,000 is anywhere remotely fair?
At some point, when our laws no are no longer providing for a better way of life, they should be examined and changed, so that they do provide that. This is one of those laws.

There's the moral point-
A single mom moved her kids to the best school that she had access to. She didn't drive around until she found the best. She didn't target the best. No, she sent her kids to the district where her Dad lived. So that they would receive the best education possible in the best environment possible. If we're going to start punishing people for being good parents, then we need to take a closer look at ourselves.

Now, interestingly enough, this looks to have been settled, at least in mom's eyes:

http://education.ohio.com/2011/01/copley-wins-residency-fight/

Yet somehow, the school crops back up again? And once again, the kids grandfather lived in the district, so taxes were already being paid.

There are some that would argue that she broke the law and deserved the punishment. Actually, the law she broke would be about on par with crossing an empty street outside of the crosswalk when the "Don't Walk" sign was lit. Or, sneaking candy into the movie theatre. Find your punishment for those "crimes", and that's the most she might deserve.