Check out the news article and the comments.
Excerpts taken from the Indianapolis Star
A Paragon man faces up to four years in prison for not taking his two daughters to school.
Kevin Parrish, 38, was found guilty last week of one felony charge of neglect and one misdemeanor charge of failure to comply with compulsory school attendance. Charges also were filed against the mother, Beth Parrish.
School officials contacted police in May 2002 after the girls, then 8 and 6, missed about 73 out of 150 days school combined.
No proof has been presented to show the girls did not show up to school because of medical reasons, said Deputy Prosecutor Scott Knierim.
"We really found no reason for them not getting to school," he said. "The father said it was the wife's responsibility, and we want to get the word out that there are consequences for this type of action."
12 comments:
These people really irritate me. Here they have two young children that probably have a pretty decent school to go to and it seems that through their own apathy they just choose not to get their children to school. There are parents and children in other countries that would do anything to get the minimal amount of education that seems to be taken for granted in this case.
The last thing this nation needs is MORE ignorant people.
Chawntay--
Well said! I agree with the point you made about other people in the world who would do anything to give their children the same chances and opportunities as American children.
In fact, there are millions of men and women in America as well who can't have children and would give up anything to raise and love a child as their own.
I believe there is an epidemic of apathy in this country. And its causes are too complex to even try to figure out. I'm not a sociologist or a psychiatrist, or a criminologist. I'm just a regular woman trying to make sense of this mess.
I'm just glad that lawmakers and prosecutors are taking control and making parents accountable for their actions...or 'lack of actions' in this case.
I'm not defending this man or case, I don't know all the facts. However, give me a break a felony charge for the mother or father because they didn't make the children go to school! You have got to ke kidding me. However, when the schools do things like leave children unattended where they have sex in the classroom, bully each other with knifes and guns or leave children behind in a fire there are no charges against the system! There are some problems here! Mandating children to go to school is plain out wrong, especially in a failing school systems as we have in many urban areas today.
Blogcruiser--
Your post is laughable. You responded with, "Mandating children to go to school is plain out wrong, especially in a failing school systems as we have in many urban areas today."
Where do you suggest they go to school? It is obvious these parents weren't at home hard at work teaching their kids.
I'm neither liberal or conservative...I'm a middle of the road kind of girl. However Blogcruiser, I think you must be some sort of serious lefty! Why else would you make such a ludicrous comment like that?
I was shocked after reading this article. It is evident to me that the story is certainly one-sided. I have known Kevin and Beth Parrish for 10 years and do not feel like they are being treated fairly. There was no mention in the story of the girls medical problems or the fact that the family did not have insurance at the time so they were unable to provide a doctors notice for each absence. I myself have two children who have medical needs and would like to see an interview from their family doctor, who was willing to testify but not given the opportunity! These are parents who love their children and would never do anything to harm them. Let's give them a voice too and some respect. It seems to me they deserve a chance for the people to hear the truth.
Just a few minor details that I would like to point out 1) Indiana does not require a child to go to kindergarten. Therefore the days of school that were missed by the child that was in kindergarten at the time, have absolutely no bearing on the case and should not be in the article to distort the facts. 2) The aunt that home schooled the children was not allowed to testify (a decision by the court appointed attorney) 3) The family doctor also stated he would submit a letter attesting to the girls' medical condition (another witness who was not heard - again the decision of the court appointed attorney).
I would also like to point out that another attorney got the case dropped only to be picked up again and handed off to a different court appointed attorney. And lets discuss the offer by the prosecution for a $1.00 fine and a few days in jail. Kevin refused the offer because he IS NOT GUILTY and now he is looking at 4 years of prison. So it's either admit guilt whether you are or not or THE POWERS THAT BE will take you away from your children. If the state was so worried about what is in the best interest of those children, I can clearly tell them that is it to have their mother AND father in the home not in jail!
I cannot believe the ignorance I am reading. The article you are so apt to go by, is totally one sided. The parents were not given a chance in hell. Period.
"...the last thing this nation needs is more ignorant people." Michelle's point exactly. Send your children to school!
By the way, I sleep fine at night as no one here is slandering you. How do you sleep at night as you stand in the way of my First Amendment right to free speech and open discussion?
I won't even waste my time trying to tell speechqueen what an idiot I think you are. You don't know these people and you certainly don't have kids. I was harassed by the school system when my son was in first grade and I pulled him out of school for a week because both grandmothers had a stroke 12 hours apart. One died and one struggled for a week before finally surviving serverly disabled. My son had never missed one day of kindergarten or first grade until this. I called the school and explained what happened before we left the state. This was in May and my son was an honor roll student. I had very threatening messages on my answering machine when we returned a week later. Should I have sent my son to school? My daughter is a straight A student, my son is on the honor roll and an Eagle Scout, I would NOT stand up for Kevin and Beth if I was not 100% sure of their innocence. My kids are the absolute most important thing to me. That is no different than Kevin and Beth feel about their kids. I am not related to them but I have known them for 10 years and you can ASSume whatever you want - you don't know this school system or the judicial system they are dealing with. They have NOT been treated fairly. Would you admit guilt and just pay the fine if you weren't guilty? I suppose you are an avid reader of the National Enquirer since you believe everything you read!
Here's a question to the families and friends...was this a JURY trial or a bench trial?
We can continue to debate this but I would still not admit I was guilty of something I wasn't guilty of! I would not allow someone to smear my name just to avoid the time and money it would cost to defend myself. I also understand the seriousness of children not attending school regularly, but you still do not know the whole story and you are basing this on experiences you may have encountered. This whole situation has taught me not to believe ANYTHING I read in the paper unless I know the story and the people firsthand.
With any luck the goverment came in and took the kids. get the kids into foster care let them see what a normal family is like. In most cases like this they are a lower class of people that dont care for the kids in the first place. What an example for the kids ! Isnt that just what we need more uneducated people that live off welfair. WORK HARD.... ALL THE PEOPLE ON WELFAIR ARE DEPENDING ON YOU !
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