An eleventh grader in Texas was thrown in jail - just for missing school.However, honour student Diane Tran, 17, is no lazy truant. In fact, she's quite the opposite.
Since her parents divorced and left her and her two siblings, she has been the sole breadwinner and works two jobs to keep the family afloat.
Ms Tran said she works a full time job, a part-time job, and takes advancement and dual credit college level courses at Willis High School.
'[I take] dual credit U.S. history, dual credit English literacy, college algebra, Spanish language AP,' she says of her impressive academic workload.
However, the high-achiever cannot devote as much time as she would like to her schooling as she often misses an entire day, reports KHOU.
Ms Tran says that her parents divorced 'out of the blue,' leaving her and her two siblings to fend for themselves.
'I always thought our family was happy,' she said.
Now, it's up to Ms Tran to support her siblings, who include an older brother at Texas A&M University and a younger sister who lives with relatives.
Local authorities are using Ms Tran's case to crackdown on truancy.
Judge Lanny Moriarty ordered the exhausted student to pay a $100 fine and spend 24 hours in jail as a lesson. Read More
10 comments (read or post your own):
such a prick, she's going to grow up with a twisted ideal of what is fair and right in the american society. he just left an ugly deep emotional scar on her. Imagine being left by your parents and siblings to take care of.. esp at 17 in high school when everyone else is worried about hanging out with friends and trying to get dates. She will def have have an awful perception of justice now. That judge took away her innocence by locking her up in jail then rubbing in a $100 fine she's going to be very distrustful of american justice no matter how hard she tries to do everything right within her power (she's 17 remember, not yet an adult with adult rights).
She's a 17 year old victim of her parents and the system. The parents need to be jailed for abandoning their children and leaving the burden on Diane. What is the legal system doing about that part of the equation. I commend Diane for her will to survive and take care of her siblings. This young woman didn't quit school to support her family she took on more than any 17 year old should have think about never mind do. The fact that she does what she has to do and despite the physical and emotional burden maintains honor level academics is commendable. What is wrong with this JUDGE!!!!? What is wrong with our legal system?! What is being done to keep these children together and lift the burden of supporting a family off the shoulders of a 17b year older.
God bless you, Diane. I pray you receive all the money you need so you can focus on school and maybe just one part-time job, and reunite with your siblings.
Looks like Judge Lanny is a crook himself. In 2009 he was investigated by the Ethics commission. He apparently made "mistakes" with his campaign financial contributors. He allegedly received contributions from corporations, shame on you Lanny. He was ordered to pay a $2,800 civil fine. Here is judge Lanny's phone number. (936) 788-8374 montgomery office, address 19380 Highway 105 West, Ste 507 Montgomery, TX 77356. he has an office in Willis also, address is 300 S. Danville St Willis, TX 77378 phone (936) 539-7801. This is all public record in TX
This story is exactly why "WE" the parents need to be there for our kids. Forcing children to grow up to soon can cause serious damaage to them and their future. This great young laddy is doing everything she can to get by all while maintaining her grades whitout being in school. THAT IS HUGE. She should really see if she can finish up on a program that may be better for her...ie...homeschooling(districts offer free) E2020 (classes done on computer at home work at own pace she could finish sooner also district paid for. there are may options out there she just needs an adult willing to help her get what she needs.
If the story is 100% accurate...
The adults in her life should be ashamed of themselves. Her parents should be found and put in jail for "truancy." With a divorce one thing they deal with is the children so, where's the court ordered child support? Who did the court give custody of the minors to? AGAIN hold the parents responsible. Put an order out for their arrest out and haul them back to TX if need be.
Furthermore, she should have told her older brother after her first hearing that he would be no longer receiving any money from her. That she had to do what the law requires her to do and therefore he was on his own.
If she's 17 and he's older he's got to be an adult. He should be taking care of himself. He's a fool for accepting ANY money from his younger sister and she's a fool for giving it to him.
She should have done the same with the people who are taking care of the younger sibling. They should also be ashamed of themselves for taking her money. They should haul the parents into court and demand that the parents pay to support their child.
I personally think that EVERY adult that is in this girl's life has failed her and a few of them are listed above. We won't get into how the principal, vice principal, teachers, counselors, school secretaries, failed her.
...And her employers...what happened to child labor laws. In my state teens can only work so many hours a week so explain that one to me. Is TX that sick that it is actually legal for her to work that many hours?
Where's the governor of TX? If he hears of this and doesn't even get his staff to fix this then he doesn't belong being governor.
The above comments on the parents' responsibility are right on. I can't imagine it being legal to abandon children who are minors... But who knows in Texas...
Also, not to profile, but is she a US citizen?
What's her immigration status? I know many asian families send their eldest child to university, and then the younger kids reside illegally and attend publicly funded schools while living with the college kid who has legal residence. This sounds like that situation to me, since there are a lot of question marks surrounding the parents, etc.
Note: I'm totally for legal immigration and jumped through the hoops for my wife's green card.
...I find it weird that nobody has questioned her citizenship yet...
This is awful. My eyes are in tears reading this story. I heard about Texas justice but this is a new low. Jail the criminals not a 17 year old who has to take care of her sibblings. She should get a medal for her sacrifice. This judge is a real a* hole !
So , base on this article, is it fair to say "Judge Lanny Moriarty and his law wants to send a message to all kids in Texas; if you don't want to stay at least 1 night in jail and facing with its consequences , then you are better drop out of school, instead of working hard for it " ?
I love Texas where I can tell my mom that I may go to jail if she make me go to school. Please! Don't put me in jail MA.
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