Finally a parent is held accountable

marleyisalegend

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When I read some of the statistics for youth crime, drop-out rates, etc.. I wonder where the parents are. Obviously some kids are out of control, but here's a story about a father who was jailed because his daughter didn't earn her diploma equivalent. In this case, the girl wasn't living with her father so his imprisonment may not have been warranted. He was, however, ordered months prior to make sure she completes it. In general, it seems that some states are starting to hold parents accountable for their children's delinquency.

Dad jailed after daughter fails to get diploma - Crime & courts - MSNBC.com
 

mattflanders

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In Belgium, having your minor child fail to earn his or her high school diploma or your minor child dropping out, can result in a loss of some social security benefits. You definitely lose your state child support and in most cases you have to do a full refund of all the money you've received over the years. That can go as high as €30.000! Because the state then perceives this as not putting the funds to good use.
 

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Jail is WAY over the top. It seems as though a fine would/should have been motivation enough.

Personally I think we criminalize too much in the US. The problem of accountability just seems squishy and wrong in this case. Is it really against the law to be stupid, or to raise stupid kids?

If she was such a great burden to her neglectful parents (and I admit to not reading the link...I'm pressed for time right this second), then why wasn't she placed in foster care?
 

dong20

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When I read some of the statistics for youth crime, drop-out rates, etc.. I wonder where the parents are. Obviously some kids are out of control, but here's a story about a father who was jailed because his daughter didn't earn her diploma equivalent. In this case, the girl wasn't living with her father so his imprisonment may not have been warranted. He was, however, ordered months prior to make sure she completes it. In general, it seems that some states are starting to hold parents accountable for their children's delinquency.

Dad jailed after daughter fails to get diploma - Crime & courts - MSNBC.com

I'm entirely in favour of enforced parental accountability for their offspring's errant behaviour. But, at 'face value' this seems like a staggering overreaction and a poorly focussed one at that - does her mother bear no responsibility here, after all the girl was in her custody and admits as much, to her credit?

I can't help but think there must be more to this than the article relates. Truancy aside, did the girl perpetrate criminal acts that could result in her being punished in her own right?

Playing devil's advocate for a moment; there may be other reasons she didn't get her GED - perhaps she's simply a moron?:rolleyes:
 

marleyisalegend

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Jail is WAY over the top. It seems as though a fine would/should have been motivation enough.

Personally I think we criminalize too much in the US. The problem of accountability just seems squishy and wrong in this case. Is it really against the law to be stupid, or to raise stupid kids?

If she was such a great burden to her neglectful parents (and I admit to not reading the link...I'm pressed for time right this second), then why wasn't she placed in foster care?

you must not pay attention to how out-of-control my generation is. jailing parents isn't the first resort, it's the last one of an educational system that's got more fuck-ups than it does success stories. there are many parents who shit out enough money to pay those fines.
 

marleyisalegend

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i just hate people freaking out about kids being kids and getting courts involved.

she wasn't eating dirt or climbing a tree, she was skipping school and flunking out, and the article doesn't even mention whether or not she was committing any crimes, though truant students often do. how does failing out of high-school equate with kids being kids. she wass 19 years old and still hadn't received her diploma. 19 is NOT a kid, it's (supposed to be) a responsible adult.
 

marleyisalegend

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skipping school, dropping out and committing crimes, is as old as school and law.

and you think punishing this behavior is wrong?? it's gone on so long because it hasn't been punished. my generation is full of morons who can't spell their name because nobody wants to enforce the education our ancestors faught for. there's a reason diseases aren't being cured, even though centuries ago, with LESS technology and information, they were being cured. we're a nation of idiots that revels in the right to be idiots under the guise of "being free" and "being kids". at what age should we start expecting responsibility, 40? 50? 105?
 

THEDUDEofDestiny

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first of all i am in your generation (two years older) and secondly the life expectancy at the start of the 20th century was 54 in britain. go back to any point in history before that and it was lower. people are stupid and irresponsible, so what? the cream rises to the top and no one gets beheaded anymore, so on the whole things are going pretty well.
 

marleyisalegend

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and i have no problem punishing the girl (although without a degree she is already punished in the longterm), but her dad? get the fuck out of here

who's responsible for her?? somebody has to be, somebody brought her into this world. when i have children, their education will be of my utmost concern. graduating high-school WILL happen, it's not optional. i'll be damned if "being a kid" (at 19, the age many consider a legal adult) means you get to skip school and do what you want. next time you're in the hospital, i DARE you to request a doctor's aide who was smoking pot instead of getting a high-school education.
 

THEDUDEofDestiny

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well then you'll be a good parent. at 19 she is an adult legally speaking, and she is the one who should be held accountable. the way that is done is she will never get a decent job and live a shitty life; and if she does get her act together eventually no harm no foul. why the fuck would i request a pothead doctor's aid? also i know plenty of doctor's who smoked their share of pot when they were younger...
 

Ldnn

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and i have no problem punishing the girl (although without a degree she is already punished in the longterm), but her dad? get the fuck out of here

Indeed it's hard to disagree with that.

The issue though is why the father was "ordered" to make sure she completes her education - why not order her to complete it? Ultimately it is the daughter who has to sit down and finish the work, punishing the father seems a pointless exercise since you can only control an 18-year-old to a rather limited degree. No doubt she'll realise that her reduced earning prospects over her entire life (unless she re-takes it somehow) and reduced quality of life are her punishments in time - however sending someone to prison to "mend his ways" seems laughable when it he isn't the one ultimately responsible for the failure of her education.
 

marleyisalegend

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well then you'll be a good parent. at 19 she is an adult legally speaking, and she is the one who should be held accountable. the way that is done is she will never get a decent job and live a shitty life; and if she does get her act together eventually no harm no foul. why the fuck would i request a pothead doctor's aid? also i know plenty of doctor's who smoked their share of pot when they were younger...

you know what i was trying to say. if a family member is having heart surgery, would you prefer they have a doctor that completed high-school, or one who skipped school??
 

jlr080281

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She's 19 years old, she's responsible for herself. If she doesn't want to goto school that's entirely her decision. I don't see how her dad can force her to go. And even if she did go, how is it her dad's fault if she fails? Should we start jailing parents of kids who are just too stupid to pass?

I'm a highschool dropout. Should my dad go to jail for me making the decision not to go? Fuck no. That shit's ridiculous :p
 

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