Truancy... (where is the liberty, AND justice for that matter)

[Maluco]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...t.3ef6228.html

Debbie Ballard left a Dallas County truancy courtroom a bit peeved. Her daughter had just pleaded guilty to being truant and been handed a $500 fine, suspension of her driving privileges for one year and 24 hours of community service.

I understand there should be something in place for truancy, but 500 dollars! Suspension of her driving privileges for one year!!! (WTF! what are they trying to do to this girl!?) 24 hours of community service! This shit seriously makes me sick.

And then you have Cash-strapped states mull seat belt law changes...

Is it just me, or does it not strike you as insane they can just admit to applying this law based on being "strapped for cash"!?

It's easy for us to jump on the side of some of these laws and/or regulations but how did we get here, to this extreme. We are so policed and yet don't even recognize it. I know it's only going to get worse but sometimes it just hits me, how much power and control we have handed over to the government.

I took a government philosophy class last summer and it really opened my eyes to alot of things I had never contemplated.

There are so many other things too. How the fk did we get here!

[TwoJ's]

I kind of agree with you. And fuck the snotty kids that don't take advantage of having school provided to them for "free".

Sure we have quite a few laws to follow, but we also have a large amount of freedoms. Don't forget that.

[e30e]

I only have a problem with the fine everything else should be worse.

[Maluco]

how is suspending her driver's license productive? Maybe I'm missing it...

[gazellebeigem3]

how is suspending her driver's license productive? Maybe I'm missing it...

I think its more of a burden on her parents than her. Thats if she has a job and/or other obligations.

[joshh]

I've seen people get less for stabbing a cop...

[Scotaku]

A lot of that story is missing, such as the demeanor of the truant and/or her parents in front of the judge. The plea isn't the big deal but the sentence... and that's all in the hands of the judge. For what little we know, the judge had to hear it all.

Did you see the definition of truancy for that county? Any kid missing that much school probably does need a parent charged/penalized for not putting a stop to it. It doesn't take George Lucas to imagine a kid out of school that often, with no parental knowledge, probably getting into trouble. Hell, I didn't skip school and go help little old ladies cross the street all day.

[mrsleeve]

Yes seat belt as "primary" or stoppable is shit. MI is like that, you can be pulled over even if the cop thinks you dont have it on (eg.. gray belt gray shirt = not on) once they pull you over its done a 65+ dollars to the state. There is no point in fighting it cuz the judge always will side with the cop and add court fees to it to make it a even 100.

I had this happen to me 2 times in MI and so have nearly every one I know there, the state police even admit they have patrol units out that ignore everything else but seat belt infractions its all about the money.

[Raxe]

"I feel I'm a good parent," Ballard said defensively after leaving court. "I don't know what happens once she goes to school."

Ooookay....

[mrsleeve]

I lost my license after getting one speeding ticket. I had to take two ridiculous 'driving safety' classes, and to get my license back I will have to pay 500$ and take the permit test, and a road test again. How's that for justice? ONE speeding ticket.

you must have been hauling ass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Collin]

Meh. I was, but even if I wasn't it wouldn't have mattered. The law in Massachusetts, if you are under 18, is that if you get one ticket then you lose your license for 3 months and have to pay 500$ to get it back. As well as take a bunch of ridiculous classes.

I like the sound of that now, but when I was under 18 I would've been up in arms.

Very young people and very old people are the worst drivers. The only difference is that young people seem to flip me off more when they cut me off.

[Surtr]

That doesn't make it right. I could stop alot of speeding offenses as well if I made the punishment for speeding death, or a year in jail. That doesn't make it right. The punishment should fit the crime.

I think the point is to stop you before you make a habit of it. Those type of punishments are always way harsher than they need to be.

I never knew there were places that cops didn't pull you over for not having a seat belt on. In CA the ticket goes to the driver, so I won't move my car until my asshole friends put a seat belt on.