The Responsibility Project^®. Exploring what it means to do the right thing

Parental Responsibility: What Are the Limits?

21 Comments

June 5, 2008 by Kathy McManus

A juvenile court judge in Ohio ordered 40 year-old Brian Gegner to make sure his high school dropout daughter earned her GED.

But when teenaged Brittney didn’t hit the books hard enough to pass the test, the judge threw the book at Brian Gegner, ordering the father jailed because the daughter failed.

Should a father be responsible when his 18 year-old daughter can’t do the math?

Yes, said the judge, who did the math like this: 6 months in jail for Brian Gegner for contributing to the unruliness of a minor by not following the court order to make Brittney get her GED.

Brittney—who lives with her mother, her one year-old daughter, and her boyfriend--started skipping school around fifth or sixth grade. It’s “ridiculously wrong” she said of her father to be jailed because of her failings.

Her mother volunteered to be locked up instead, noting that Brittney is almost 19. “She’s an adult now,” said Shana Roach, “and it’s not right to rip an innocent man from his home.”

But the judge stood firm, saying that the court retained jurisdiction because Brittney was a juvenile when the truancy case began.

Outraged child and family advocates urged supporters to call the judge and the governor of Ohio to demand Brian Gegner’s release from jail. Under the judge’s logic, they argued, the mothers and fathers of more than a million high school dropouts across America should all be jailed as well.

Within a week, the judge relented and released Brian Gegner on the condition that Brittney take classes to complete her GED by the next scheduled court date in July 2008. And the judge issued an ominous warning: if Brittney doesn’t attend classes four days a week, he’ll send her father back to jail.

Brittney’s step-mother is worried that jail time will cause Brian Gegner to lose his job. They tried to keep Brittney in school, she said, but “You’d take her to school and she’d go out the other door.”

Tell us what you think: What are the limits of a parent’s responsibility in educating a child? Does the lesson of jailing a parent get an A or an F?

21 Comments

What do you think? Leave a comment

• June 5, 2008 by Jessi Chelle

  Seriously, why isn't the father of the 14 year old who killed his mom in jail? If you get down to it, that father contributed to the unruliness of a minor too--by not properly training his son in right and wrong or respect for his mom. What will happen to the children/youth of this generation if they never have to deal with the consequences of their own misbehavior? Brittany is now an adult; should the case not be moved to adult court?

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• June 10, 2008 by Alexandra G.

  I have recently turned 19 years old. I just got out of a program for troubled teens and earned my GED and a high school diploma. It was hard work but I knew it was the right thing to do for my future and I am very thankful that I did it. I met kids that just didn't care and sometimes you just can’t help those kinds of people. If she was 18 then he has no rule over what she does or doesn't do. How was that his fault? She is an adult and should be the one who carries out her own decisions - not her father.

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• June 14, 2008 by Purelabor

  The daughter lives with her mother. That is the one who should be responsible. No, thats not right . The girl is! If she is allowed to goof off for so long then the parents and the schools dropped the ball. I say "see who was covering for her when she was younger?" Parents guide and raise children. If those children grow up without parents that take an active role in the child's life, then this is what happens. We as parents have a job. That job is to raise our children with a little self pride. This one didn't. Many children come from broken homes and still graduate from school. A hint might be the daughter's child. This might be harsh but the proof is the disregard for her father by not trying. The GED is so easy that even challenged people can pass it. I say put the girl in jail and let her rot.

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• June 24, 2008 by Judith A. Eisner

  This "child" is a young adult who is 19. Isn't there a law that allows anyone at the age of 16 or over to drop out of school? The judge is imparting his values on someone who is over the age to make her own decision on the school issue, even though it might not be the right one, it is hers to make.

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• June 30, 2008 by snownog35

  Having been through this problem with a child dropping out of high school and not immediately going for his GED I can sympathize with this father. My son was also on drugs at the time he dropped out and the legal system let me down when it came to him suffering the consequences of his actions. I suffered watching him fall through the cracks of our legal system. I think unless the father was denying her the opportunity to go to school, then he has no responsibility for her actions. If they can drop out of high school at 16 but the law requires you to let them live in your house until 18, then those of us working parents have our hands tied.

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• July 2, 2008 by Rachel

  You have got to be kidding me. You cannot become an adult until you quit blaming your parents for your life. I think the judge needs to put the responsibility where it belongs, on the adult who should be getting her GED or suffering the consequences. Past a certain point you can no longer teach your children any more. You have to hope they learned enough from you and the rest of it life gives them. Or pounds it into them in my case. It sounds like a cliche but I can see what my parents were talking about now. And I also know that most of us are winging it to a certain degree anyway. If I were her father I would sue cause that's just not right.

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• July 2, 2008 by dayanita21

  Are you serious ?To begin with this is outrageous I cant believe this . Parents responsibility are going to far .It's her fault she didn't pass her GED. I mean shes the one who booked or skipped school. It is true that your parents are responsible for you however shes an 18 year old woman not a girl and she should be responsible for her own actions. If they do to high school parents then they should send all high school drop out parents to jail. A parent should be responsible take care his children do any thing for them but this is just going to far.

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• July 2, 2008 by Andrea

  Well first off the girl's parents didn't keep her in school when she was in sixth grade, so now they care? It doesn't make any sense how hes fighting to keep his daughter in school when she doesn't even want to be in it. Plus, he knew how his daughter was about school so why would he keep fighting for her. Yes, I understand his daughter, but there is a limit, and if he knew then, why would he fight for it?

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• July 7, 2008 by Amaryllis

  He shouldn't have to go to jail because of his daughters mistake. No parent should. His daughter should be the one to get locked up because it was her fault in the first place for dropping out of school. If I would have dropped out and my dad had gone to jail for it I would think about what I did and turn myself in. No parent should have to lose their job over his or her child not studying. I think that the daughter should get blamed especially since she is an adult now and she should do the time, not the parent.

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• July 20, 2008 by Tabitha Gobin

  I do believe that parents should be responsible for a child's education, but I don't believe that once that child turns 18 the parent is responsible. I was amazed that a judge had taken it that far. Our youth need positive reinforcement in gaining their education. There are a lot of parents that don't care about their children's education and some kind of action should be taken and help provided for parents that are trying to make a difference in their child's lives.

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• July 21, 2008 by Dave Washburn

  Responsibility misplaced: yet another example of a nation where we've decided to place responsibility squarely on the shoulders of anyone but the person to whom it belongs. Yes, parents should be held accountable for things such as contributory negligence, but it's ludicrous to take away more and more corrective tools from parents and then hold them responsible for the poor decisions of their children. Equal punishment: if (and I stress "if") our legal system has come to the conclusion that the parent is responsible (and, apparently, imprison able) for the misdeeds of their children, then who may I ask should be jailed first for the multitudes of parentless children who go the same way? Which government official or politician should be taken to task first?

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• August 19, 2008 by Julian Amici

  This is a classic case of a runaway judiciary. Some Judge gets uppity and starts making law like he's the kind of the land. He decides what's best, and no one can contradict him or remove him. Thomas Jefferson warned us of this WAY back when the check-and-balances system we use and love was made. There just aren't enough checks and veto power against the Judiciary branch by the Legislature. The Legislature, led by the people of the United States, should be able to overturn a Judge's decision. The Judge should be accountable to the people, not the other way around.

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