Daughter Doesn't Graduate, So Dad Is Jailed

[Kadie]

Daughter Doesn't Graduate, So Dad Is Jailed
CBS News Interactive: Education In America

CINCINNATI (AP) ― A man ordered by a judge to make sure his daughter hit the books has found himself in jail because she failed to earn a high school equivalency diploma.

Brian Gegner, of Fairfield, was sentenced last week to 180 days in jail for contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a minor.

He was ordered months ago to make sure his 18-year-old daughter Brittany Gegner, who has a history of truancy, received her GED - something that hasn't happened yet.

Brittany Gegner, who said Monday that she plans to take a required GED test this month, said her father shouldn't be blamed for her failure because she has been living with her mother.

"It was my wrongdoing, not his," said Brittany Gegner, whose fiance and 18-month-old daughter also live at her mother's home in nearby Hamilton. "He shouldn't have to go to jail for something I did."


more...
http://cbs13.com/watercooler/truant.dad.jailed.2.722500.html

[TransitJohn]

1. I'm confused...

how can a court order parents to do anything about a daughter who is 18, in other words, not a minor? :wtf:

[BattyDem]

2. Why is the man responsible for his 18 year old daughter's actions?

That doesn't make any sense. Legally, she's an adult.

[bryant69]

4. If I had to guess, I would think the order was made before she turned 18

And was due to expire (with the penalty) when she turned 18? Still seems excessive and insane though.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Kadie]

5. She is almost 19 now,

snip...
"Brittany is almost 19 years old now and I think it's unfair to put her father in jail," said Shana Roach. "She's an adult now, and it's not right to rip an innocent man from his home."

[NYC Liberal]

8. I don't think so...the way I read it,

the order was made when she was 18 - "ordered months ago to make sure his 18-year-old daughter..."

I'm betting this will get overturned quickly.

[Sequoia]

3. That is unconstitutional and a violation of his civil rights.

I better make sure my child does her homework.

[treestar]

6. Arrogant judges

They are only appointed to decide cases under the law. They think they have dictatorial powers to order anything they want to.

[damntexdem]

7. This is just weird. Aside from the fact that parents cannot force minor children to try to graduate,

nor, for that matter, to be able to graduate, whatever the desire,
an 18-year-old is an ADULT. She is no longer a minor, delinquent or not.

[RB TexLa]

9. Not even the 18 year old adult part, at what age does compulsory education

end in Ohio?

[Duer 157099]

10. I'm printing that out to show my son!

I've tried everything else, maybe guilt will finally do the trick!

(unless he wants to see me go to jail that is...) :D

[Elspeth]

11. Here is the rationale from the article:

"Butler County Juvenile Court administrator Rob Clevenger Jr. said Monday that the court still has jurisdiction in the case because Brittany Gegner was a juvenile when the truancy problems began and when the charge against Brian Gegner was filed in 2007."

Even so, this is a travesty.

[SeattleGirl]

12. I think the judge should be jailed for excessive stupidity.

:puke:

[frogmarch]

13. She & her fiance & baby live with her MOM

The judge is a wacko. Probably couldn't pass a GED test even if s/he tried.

The girl accepted responsibility for failing the test. Good for her. :thumbsup: