Do you think a mother should go to Jail for making her kid walk to school after

1. 60

   taylord08posted 12 years ago

   Do you think a mother should go to Jail for making  her kid walk to school after getting suspended?
   
   An Arkansas mother is being charged with a misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of a minor after she made her son walk 4.6 miles to school in order to “teach him a lesson.”
   He had been suspended from the bus and she decided to have him walk to school as a punishment. He is 10 years old and it was 30 degree weather.
   Now if convicted she will face a year in jail and a fine of 1,000?
   Do you think she went too far?

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2. 59

   Beege215eposted 12 years ago

   If we are discussing this one mother and only these circumstances, the mother should perhaps be reprimanded and she and her son might need to see a counselor. Jail should not be a consideration.  If we are talking general concepts, it would depend on the age of the child, the distance, and the weather.  I walked to school many times, over 2.5 miles in the rain and snow.  I didn't have bus money and my mom didn't have a car. It didn't kill me, it didn't make we weaker, it made me appreciate a lot of things, including the warmth of the school when I finally got there.
   This one mother went overboard, but if the child was properly dressed and mother supervised the walk, even by following him in her car, then I don't consider this child abuse, I do not have access to all the facts in this particular matter, but Jail would be excessive.

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3. 67

   Bretsukiposted 12 years ago

   Jail for making a child walk to school seems excessive. I agree with much of what Beege says. If the mother dressed the child properly for the conditions, possibly supervised from a distance even the 4 mile walk is ok.
   
   I used to walk six miles to and from school per day from the age of seven. In the early years often with my mother but on occasions alone. By the age of eleven I was walking to school alone.
   
   It is not wrong to let a child grow up and learn that there are consequences for actions. The child was barred from the bus for some reason. It seems that often children are not taught that there are consequences. The pity here is the mother is now suffering for her childs misdemeanor. I would hope the court sees sense and do not pinish her for doing the right thing.

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4. 60

   taylord08posted 12 years ago

   I agree, is seem that now, anything you do to you kid is under supervision. When I was young my siblings and I used to walk to school, in any type of weather. I really hope she does not due time for this. She was just trying to teach her son a lesson, a well deserve lesson.

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5. 61

   JeniferDposted 12 years ago

   Well, if putting her son at-risk for cold-weather injuries, kidnapping, or worse is instrumental in teaching HIM the lesson?  The mother needs to submit to a psychological evaluation to determine if she is a fit mother.  How do we know the son isn't going to snap and off the mother with the family shotgun (if they have one)?  Anything is possible.

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6. 68

   Joy Mposted 12 years ago

   I agree with what most of the others have been saying.  If the child was dressed warmly and supervised from a distance I hardly think she should be punished.  My family has walked further for fun!  (We like to hike.)
   
   I think it is a shame that parents are constantly judged for how they discipline their children and yet we are legally responsible for their actions until they are adults.

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7. 62

   duffsmomposted 12 years ago

   I think 4.5 miles is an excessive walk for a child - especially n the cold.  But I do not think it is a criminal matter.  If we all went to jail for the mistakes we made as parents - no parent would be walking free nor would any new babies be born.
   
   So yes, she went too far but so did the authorities.

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