Judge Jails Honor Student with Two Jobs for Missing School
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
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With no parents around and two siblings to support, 17-year-old high school student Diane Tran of Houston, Texas, has had to work two jobs while taking college prep classes. For all her work and dedication Tran recently found herself spending a night in jail after a local judge decided to make an example of her for missing school, due to exhaustion.
The 11th grade honor student from Willis High School admitted she sometimes shows up late to school or not at all. Tran said she can’t help it as she’s tried to juggle a full-time job, a part-time job, her advanced placement classes and helping support her older brother, who is a university student, and her younger sister.
Neither of Tran’s parents, who are divorced, is around.
Despite the tough situation confronting Tran, Judge Lanny Moriarty refused to go easy on the student after she wound up in his court for missing school. He sentenced her to spend 24 hours in jail and pay a $100 fine.
Moriarty explained his ruling by saying: “If you let one [truant student] run loose, what are you gonna’ do with the rest of ‘em? Let them go too?”
Moriarty spent most of his career in law enforcement, including 21 years with the Houston Police Department, before running for justice of the peace in 2002.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
To Learn More:
Honor Student Placed in Jail for Tardiness and Truancy at School (by Sherry Williams, KHOU 11 News)
Honour Student Who Works Two Jobs to Support Her Siblings after Her Parents Split Up and Left Town Is Put in JAIL for Missing School Due To Exhaustion (by Hannah Rand, Daily Mail)
People Across the Country Offer Help to Honor Student Jailed for Truancy (KHOU.com)
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