Could this become our modern Rosa Parks story? I think so.
I literally cried when I read this story today.
A single mom, studying for her teaching degree, living in an Akron, Ohio project, sent her kids to a school in a "white district" where her father lives.
The judge jailed her for 10 days, 3 years probation, and she will never be allowed to teach as a felon under Ohio law. Additionally, her father is charged w/felony with a price tag liability of $30,500, the cost of the kids education.
I implore you to read this story and share it with others. I hope and pray that, with enough pressure, this case becomes legend.
Black Mother Jailed For Sending Kids to White School District
Sign Petition to reduce sentence.
The writer of the referenced article says it best. There are three things at play here:
First, it’s clear that the court is trying to make Kelly Williams-Bolar into an example. Even the judge in the case, Patricia Cosgrove, said that her sentence was appropriate ”so that others who think they might defraud the school system perhaps will think twice.”
I have to also wonder if such news worthy harshness isn't motivated in a few other ways. Admittedly, I am speculating here.
- This case could be used to support the neo-liberal, private education voucher system.
- It could also be used to promote more Charter Schools within mono-racial neighborhoods, thus offering a privatized option as well.
Secondly, it’s interesting how courts find it convenient to make someone into an example when they happen to be poor and black.
We all know that this statement speaks for itself. And that is not what I call equal justice for all.
The writer then, in a concise paragraph, outlines the issues that still exist in our exceptional nation:
Third, I’m not sure why the court is treating this law-abiding mom (and her dad, I may add) like a thug who ran into a building with a shotgun and robbed the district of $30,000.
Instead, they could simply subtract the amount it costs for her kids to go to the local school, from the cost for them to go to the better school.
I’m sure the difference would still be substantial, since American educational apartheid dictates that schools in poorer neighborhoods are of significantly less quality than other schools.
The racial divisions within American schools are nothing less than a blatant and consistent human rights violation and should certainly be treated as such.
There is so much patently wrong with this harsh (mis)carriage of justice that I could write all day.
This hard working, motivated, concerned, otherwise law abiding woman, in an effort to help her children, and whose father lived in the other district, had her life dream stripped from her. She will not be allowed to teach UNLESS there is enough push back in her defense.
This is why I think this case will rise to fame. The judge's ruling can be overturned. I sure hope that NAACP and ACLU take up this case.
What I want you to hear, to open your minds and hearts to, is this.
DON'T think for a minute that the problems attendant with this story will never apply to you, your children, or theirs.
IF we do not all lock arms, black, white, asian, hispanic, Native Americans, all religions, atheists, straights, gays, liberals, progressives, and, yes, even truly compassionate conservatives, and
STAND UP
For fair and just treatment for all, then we will all lose whatever justice and dignity we might still have.
Ask a 99er if they wished they had continued the fight for Civil Rights so many of us championed together.
I know, that's what, so what, now what. Water under the bridge. Hindsight is 20/15
and all those sweeping coulda, woulda, shoulda phrases.
THIS CASE IS A CALL TO ACTION
as are so many other horrors we are fed daily on our local news.
If we don't get really well connected and organized on a local level, we will have huge regrets down the road.
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UPDATE INFORMATION:
There is a lot of back story surfacing. However, I am not able to find TODAY'S news paper/station reports. Will keep digging.
Also, the back story details vary from source to source. After reviewing a few sources, I found that WKSU has been quite unbiased in its reporting.
Many details are included in the comments below, as well. They are a worthy read if you want to look into the minds of how this issue is viewed by others.
If you google - Williams-Bolar Akron - You can dig deeper and experience the different reporting styles in and around Ohio for yourself. A comparison could be a diary in itself.
WKSU News has been following this story for a while. You can find links to their many reports here.
Here's a hopeful report last Friday:
Milkovich visits Williams-Bolar, the Akron mother who was convicted of records tampering by a Summit County