Honor Student: A Threat to the System
I suppose Judge Lanny Moriarty is just doing his job, protecting the citizens of Houston, Texas, from an 11th-grade honor student. Her behavior is, arguably, a threat to America's education establishment.This honor student showed shocking lack of respect for America's government schools. She skipped classes! Deliberately!
Her excuse is that, in addition to earning remarkably good grades - she has two jobs, earning money to support herself and her two brothers.
In a way, I can see Judge Moriarty's point. If he lets one student hold down two jobs to support a family, while still earning the grades it takes to be an honor student: other students in Houston might start viewing academic achievement and economic responsibility as acceptable traits.
If anti-establishment ideas like that spread: there's no telling what might happen.
The Establishment Ain't What it Used to Be
In my youth, 'the establishment' was almost entirely white, male, conservative, and seemingly obsessed by fear of commies and rock music. That was then, this is now, and the establishment has changed. A lot.There's going to be an 'establishment:' folks with the position and power to decide what sort of rules the rest of us follow, and how those rules are enforced. I don't have a problem with that. What aggravates me is when folks in 'the establishment' seem to have lost touch with what the rest of us think is important. (September 15, 2011, January 26, 2010)
Honor Student Jailed for Supporting Family
Like I said, I can almost see Judge Moriarty's point. This honor student's behavior, if unpunished, might encourage other students to get good grades while holding down jobs.Left unchecked, that sort of energy, responsibility, and achievement, might undermine dependence on the establishment.
"Group raises more than $70G for Texas honor student jailed for truancy"I put a longer excerpt from that article at the end of this post.1
Cristina Corbin, FoxNews.com (May 30, 2012)
"A Louisiana group has raised more than $70,000 for a 17-year-old Texas honor student jailed for missing too much school because she worked two jobs to support her siblings.
"Diane Tran, an 11th-grade honor student at Willis High School near Houston, was sent to jail for 24 hours last week by Judge Lanny Moriarty and ordered to pay a $100 fine for excessive truancy.
"...Judge Moriarty told KHOU 11 News that he intended to make an example of Tran by placing her in jail.
" 'If you let one run loose, what are you going to do with the rest of them? Let them go, too?' Moriarty told the station...."
Home Schooling isn't For Everyone
My wife and I have home schooled our kids for seventh through 12th grades. It worked for us, and worked very well.Not everybody is in our position, though. Diane Tran's parents separated, her mother moved away: and apparently she's the one left with the ability and responsibility of supporting herself and her siblings.
It isn't an ideal situation, but I don't think throwing her in jail will improve Diane Tran's domestic situation.
There's quite a lot going on here: judicial foolishness; family problems; and economic issues. I think those are serious issues.
I'm going to focus on America's government schools, and a sane alternative.
Home Schooling Can Work For Many
My wife and I had to deal with a school administration that, understandably, didn't want us to deprive the system of warm bodies. School funding is based on enrollment, and fewer bodies means that the school administrator gets less money from the state.My wife and I researched what State of Minnesota regulations actually said, filled out the forms that were needed, ignored the rest, and went ahead with teaching our kids.
The 'teaching' part isn't as hard as it may sound. Maybe this list will answer some questions:
- Does a home schooling family have to
- Build a classroom?
- No
- Run the student(s) between rooms at 50-minute intervals?
- No
- Build a classroom?
- Home schooling is only for
- Geniuses
- No
- People who hate science
- No
- Geniuses
Related posts:
- "Sex, Science, and the Home Schooling Parent"
(September 17, 2011) - "Home Schooling and This Catholic Family"
(February 26, 2011) - " 'To Infinity, and Beyond' - And a Plug for Home Schooling"
(June 21, 2010) - "Home Schooling: It May Not be What You Think"
(May 20, 2010) - "Home Schooling, Religious and Moral Instruction, and American Culture"
(March 6, 2010)
- Christian education of children as a way of sanctification
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, 902
- "Apostolicam Actuositatem"
Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity
Pope Paul VI (November 18, 1965)
- Cooperation of parents in education of their children
- Catechism, 2206
- "Gravissimum Educationis"
Declaration on Christian Education
Pope Paul VI (October 28, 1965)
- Education
- In the Christian faith as a duty and an office
- Of conscience
- Catechism, 1783-1785
- "Preparatory Catechesis for the Sixth World Encounter of Families"
(January 16-18, 2009)
Particularly- Sixth Catechesis
The family, molder of the strict moral conscience - Sources
- Vatican II: Constitutions Lumen gentium and Gaudium et Spes; declaration Gravissimum educationis
- Paul VI: Humanae vitae
- John Paul II: Familiaris consortio; Gratissimam sane; Evangelium Vitae
- Benedict XVI: Various discourses referring to the family
- Catechism of the Catholic Church
- Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
- Sixth Catechesis
- Effects and fruits of
- Catechism, 1839, 1917
- "Casti Connubii"
Pope Pius XI (December 12, 1930)
- In freedom
- Catechism, 2370, 2526
- "Pornography and Violence in the Communications Media: A Pastoral Response"
Pontifical Council for Social Communications (May 7, 1989)
- Freedom to educate children in the faith and in the political community
- Catechism, 2211
- "Instruction on Christian Freedom and Liberation"
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect (March 22, 1986)
- Impediments to education of children
- Catechism, 1634
- "Matrimonia Mixta"
On Mixed Marriage
(October 1, 1970)- In this context, a mixed marriage is one between a Catholic and a non-Catholic
- It isn't about ethnicity
- My marriage was "mixed" in this sense until my conversion
- In this context, a mixed marriage is one between a Catholic and a non-Catholic
- Marriage and the education of children
- Catechism, 1601, 1652, 2201
- "Humanae Vitae"
Pope Paul VI (July 25, 1968)
- Parents as the first and principal educators of their children
- Catechism, 1653, 2206, 2372
- "Gravisimum Educationis"
Declaration on Christian Education
Pope Paul VI (OCTOBER 28, 1965)
- Family
- Christian
- Catechism, 2204-2206
- "Familiaris Consorti"
On the Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World
Pope John Paul II (November 22, 1981)
- Duties
- Of children in
- Of parents in
- Catechism, 2221-2226 "Divini Illius Magistri" On Christian Education Pope Pius XI (December 31, 1939)
- Education of one's
- Catechism, 1914
- "Sacramentum Caritatis"
On the Eucharist as the Source and Summit of the Church's Life and Mission
Pope Benedict XVI (February 22, 2007)
Particularly- The eucharistic form of the christian life
(Eucharistic consistency)
- The eucharistic form of the christian life
- Education of and respect for children
- Catechism, 2221-2224, 2228-2230
- "Gravissimum Educationis"
Declaration on Christian Education
Pope Paul VI (October 28, 1965)
- Parents' rights in
- Catechism, 2229-2230
- "Gravissimum Educationis"
Declaration on Christian Education
Pope Paul VI (October 28, 1965)
- Christian
- Respect for the vocation of children
- Catechism, 2232-2233
- "For the XXXI World Day of Prayer for Vocations"
Pope John Paul II (26 December 26, 1993)
- Social defense of
- Catechism, 2209-2211
- "The family in the Pontificate of John Paul II"
Pontifical Council for the Family, Cardinal Trujillo (October 18, 2003)
- Religious Freedom
- Catechism, 2104-2109
- "Dignitatis Humanae"
Declaration on Religious Freedom
Pope Paul VI (December 7, 1965) - For everybody
- Catechism, 2106
- "Message to Her Excellency Professor Mary Ann Glendon, President of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences"
Benedict XVI (April 29, 2011)
- Rights
- And duty of parents to educate their children
- Catechism, 1653, 2221, 2223, 2372
- And see "Parents as the first and principal educators of their children," "Duties ... Of parents in," above
- To establish a family
- Catechism, 1908
- "Encyclical Pacem in Terris of John XXIII, 11 April 1963"
Pope John XXIII (April 11, 1963) - To make education accessible
- To receive a proper sexual education
- Catechism, 2344
- "The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality"
Guidelines for Education within the Family
The Pontifical Council for the Family, Alfonso Card. López Trujillo, + Most Rev. Elio Sgreccia (December 8, 1995)
- And duty of parents to educate their children
- Science
- And faith
- Catechism, 159
- "Discourse at the conferral of the first Ratzinger Prize"
Pope Benedict XVI (June 30, 2011)
- As a gift of the Spirit
- Catechism, 1831
- "Jubilee of Scientists"
John Paul II (May 25, 2000)- "...to love truth is to live on the Holy Spirit (cf. St Augustine, Sermo, 267, 4)..."
- "Regina Coeli"
(April 23, 1989)- "...Knowledge ... is this gift which helps them to value things correctly in their essential dependence on the Creator..." "...St Thomas writes, man does not esteem creatures more than they are worth and does not place in them the end of his life, but in God (ct. 'Summa Theol.'. II-II, q. 9, a. 4)..."
- Basically. science
- Shouldn't be idolized
- Helps us see "things as true and real, although limited, manifestations of the Truth, Beauty, and infinite Love which is God..."
(See Psalms 19:2, Psalms 148:1, 3
- And the service of man
- Catechism, 2293-2294
- "Address of the Holy Father John Paul II to the 18th International Congress of the transplantation Society"
Pope John Paul II (August 29, 2000) - "Science and the Future of Mankind" (.pdf)
Science for Man and Man for Science
Proceedings, Working Group
Pontifical Academy of Sciences (November 10-13, 2000)
- Is
- Subject to moral law
- Catechism, 2296-2293
- "Instruction Dignitas Personae on Certain Bioethical Questions"
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, William Card. Levada, + Luis F. Ladaria, S.I. (December 8, 2008)
- Very valuable
- Catechism, 2293
- When done right
- "Instruction on respect for human life"
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Joseph Card. Ratznger, Alberto Bovone (February 22, 1987)
- "Instruction on respect for human life"
- When done right
- Catechism, 2293
- Subject to moral law
- And faith
- Sexuality
- Is part of human nature
- Catechism, 2331-2336
- "Educational Guidance in Human Love"
Outlines for sex education
Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, William Cardinal Baum (November 1, 1983) - And as such is
- Good
- Catechism, 2331-2332 Genesis 1:27, 31
- Special
- Catechism, 2348-2350)
- "The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality"
Guidelines for Education within the Family
The Pontifical Council for the Family, Alfonso Card. López Trujillo, + Most Rev. Elio Sgreccia (December 8, 1995)
- Catechism, 2348-2350)
- Good
- Rape is bad
- Catechism, 2356)
- "Consultation on Humanitarian Issues"
Issues and Experience of the World Food Program
Monsignor Marchetto, Permanent Observer of the Holy See (March 16, 2000)- Yes, I know about the pedophile priests
- Is part of human nature
- Social Justice
- Catechism, 1928, 1943-1948
- "Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church"
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace (June 26, 2006)
- Respect for the human person
- Catechism, 1929-1933
- "Instruction on respect for human life"
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Joseph Card. Ratznger, Alberto Bovone (February 22, 1987)
- Equality and differences among men
- Catechism, 1933-1938
- "Octogesima Adveniens"
Apostolic Letter of Pope Paul VI (may 14, 1971)
- Human solidarity
- Catechism, 1939-1942
- "Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church"
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace (June 26, 2006)
1 Excerpt from the news:
"Group raises more than $70G for Texas honor student jailed for truancy"
Cristina Corbin, FoxNews.com (May 30, 2012)
"A Louisiana group has raised more than $70,000 for a 17-year-old Texas honor student jailed for missing too much school because she worked two jobs to support her siblings.
"Diane Tran, an 11th-grade honor student at Willis High School near Houston, was sent to jail for 24 hours last week by Judge Lanny Moriarty and ordered to pay a $100 fine for excessive truancy.
"It's unclear how many days Tran missed, but state law reportedly permits only 10 absences in a six-month period.
"Tran, who works full-time at a dry-cleaning business and part-time for a wedding planner, has been supporting her brother and sister since her parents separated and her mother moved away.
"Houston Councilman Al Hoang and others have roundly criticized the judge, saying he should have used some discretion in the honor student's case....
"...Since the girl's story went viral, hundreds of people have rallied to raise money for the teen, including one group, Louisiana Children's Education Alliance, which said Wednesday it had raised more than $70,000 for Tran.
"The group, which created a website called HelpDianeTran.com, has received donations from 47 states and 13 foreign countries for the girl.
" 'I think this story of a student who's obviously working so hard and is being taken advantage of by the system just touches your heart strings and it affects a lot of people, the group's president, Charlie Davis, said Wednesday in an interview with Fox News.
" 'I think Diane unfortunately is at the center of two failed systems in America -- our public education system and our judicial system,' he said. ...
"...Judge Moriarty told KHOU 11 News that he intended to make an example of Tran by placing her in jail.
" 'If you let one run loose, what are you going to do with the rest of them? Let them go, too?' Moriarty told the station...."
2 comments:
You can get sent to *jail* for skipping class?? I thought the most they could do was give you suspension, or detention, or remove you from the list of possible valedictorians.
Brigid,
It does seem excessive.
The judge explained the jail time as a means of preventing other students from following the honor student's example. It does seem that he managed to draw attention to his level of commitment.
It's possible, although I think unlikely, that there's more to the honor student's behavior. I think it's more likely that the judge's explanation for his weird behavior is accurate: he saw a 'criminal,' and decided to make an example of the 'scofflaw.'
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