Exhausted honor student, working 2 jobs to support family, jailed for missing day of school

An exhausted honor student, Diane Tran, who works two jobs to support herself and her siblings, was jailed by a Texas judge for missing too much school.

Ms. Tran, who has been abandoned by her parents, skipped several days of classes because she was too exhausted from her fulltime night and parttime  jobs. Instead of offering her support and help, the Justice of the Peace jailed her, creating a criminal recdord which will make it difficult for her to succeed. See http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/27/diane-tran-honors-student-jaile... for more details.

Following is a cdopy of the letter I sent to the judge. If you agree that this is an outrage, please write to the judge at the address in the letter, or call his office at (936) 539-7801.

May 29, 2012
Judge Lanny Moriarty
300 S. Danville St.
Willis TX 77378

Dear Judge Moriarty:

I am writing to you concerning the case of Dianne Tran, who you convicted for truancy, and jailed overnight. As a parent of a teenager, also an honor student, I think this action was unjustified and urge you to reconsider it.

Ms. Tran is not only an honor student successfully handling challenging Advanced Placement courses, but she is the sole support of herself and her siblings. She needs support and encouragement, not punishment.

Instead, she now has a criminal record that can interfere with what otherwise would be a brilliant future. You, sir, are a Justice of the Peace. How do you call that justice?

You argued in a televised interview that unless she was punished, other high school students would run wild. She is not running wild. She is working two jobs to support herself and her siblings, and successfully handling her schoolwork.

Please reverse your decision, and expunge her criminal record. And please do the Christian act of charity, and find her some help and support.

The whole country is watching you. I hope you will redeem yourself.

Sincerely yours,

David R. Yale