Daughter Fails GED Exam, Dad Goes to Jail

USA Today reports:

Brian Gegner, who lives near Cincinnati, 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 the diploma known as 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. "He shouldn't have to go to jail for something I did."

Now Mr. Gegner stands to lose his job.  To make things worse, some so-called "lawyers" think that this is just fine.  In this CNN.com video, former prosecutor Monica Lindstrom, argues that the judge was "well within his purview" to impose this punishment.  Lindstrom either has no idea what she is talking about, or didn't understand the question. 

Comments

[Anonymous Coward]

That's what's called Police State, pure and simple. And the fact that the daughter herself thinks that her father might deserve a probation (but not 6 months in jail; found in the full text of the article), shows that this is not an exception but the mindset of ordinary Americans.

[Hermes Ten]

I have an idiot brother who thinks just like these idiot "lawyers." He thinks parents should be punished for all manner of acts committed by their offspring, and would probably support "pre-crime" detention too, as he talks rapturously about putting teens in prison because "he knows" they're going to break the law in the future. Ironically, he's such a "good dad" that his son refuses to speak to him from time to time. Sadly, as AC indicates above, I fear he is an all too typical American.

If that judge were in my voting area, I'd do everything I could to make sure he didn't get re-appointed to the bench! If we try to make the kids do something, we run the risk of being accused of child abuse. If we don't make them, we're jailed for being non-responsible parents. Talk about a catch 22 and double standard. I was told years ago by a family counselor my "rights" as a parent are feed the child, clothe the child, house the child. All this time I thought those were responsibilities. This country is in the mess it is because people are always trying to find a scapegoat instead of holding the individual responsible for their own action or the individual accepting responsibility for their own actions.

[Dean Steinberger]

Last three last comments hit it right on the head. The judge. Wow! I dont even know what to think. Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic. Worthless.