Where's The Wisdom?
Judge who jailed honor student says it wasn't a "death sentence," vows tocontinue fighting truancy
When asked to reconsider his truancy ruling, Judge Lanny Moriarty initially saidthat he didn't want to be seen as "soft."
Diane Tran now has a clean record and a $100,000 donation with her name on it —though her attorney, Brian Wice, says that she will likely give the money tosomeone less fortunate than herself.
When Montgomery County Judge Lanny Moriarty threw out the truancy charges against 17-year-old Willis High School honor student and two-job-holder Diane Tran early last week in a move of good will, he apparently felt he had to compromise a dedication to keeping young people in school.
Tran's tearful appearance in a KHOU report evoked ire from all over the world. Many criticized the judge's harsh sentence and rallied to raise $100,000 in support of the overworked student. Moriarty eventually conceded after considering the particulars of Trans case.
"The beauty of being a great judge is that you recognize that you don't have a monopoly on wisdom," Houston attorney Brian Wice, who represented Tran pro bono, told KHOU.
But school administrators in Montgomery County can rest assured that Moriarty is no softy on class cutters. Moriarty's issued a statement that attempts to justify his earlier charges and reaffirm his crusade for school attendance:
[My] intent is and has always been to make sure the students in my precinct take full advantage of their opportunity to earn a high school diploma. According to state law, regardless of how high a student's grades may be, if they have too many unexcused absences they will not receive credit for their classes. When a student who has already been to court and been court ordered to attend school each day continues to have unexcused absences, additional steps must be taken to enforce the law that is meant to ensure they complete their high school education.
I want the best quality of life possible for all residents of Precinct 1, and I want our children to have the brightest futures they are capable of achieving. I will continue to hold students, and sometimes parents, accountable for unexcused absences as we work to reduce truancy, lower the dropout rate, and instill in tomorrow’s leaders the belief that rules and laws must be followed by all for society to properly function."
Moriarty, a father himself, remains committed to providing "whatever guidance or assistance might be necessary to guide [young people] on the path toward a successful future" — even if that "guidance or assistance" comes under the guise of tough love, a night behind bars and a $100 fine.
"A little stay in the jail for one night, it's not a death sentence," he said.
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Photo by Leonid Furmansky