THE LAW IS A ASS
I hate curfew laws. Here’s another terrific example of how they don’t work:
While she supports what the law is trying to do, Debra Rodgers of Rockford wasn’t too thrilled Monday afternoon as she sat in court with her son, Dustin.
Dustin is a college-bound senior at Guilford High School who got a daytime curfew violation on his way to school one morning. Dustin, 17, starts his school day at 10:25 a.m., a privilege he earned by getting most of his graduation requirements out of the way during the past three years.
He never expected the law would grab him.
“I don’t even have any unexcused absences,” Dustin said. “I’m there every day.”
Dustin said he tried to explain to the officer that he had a late start time, but was issued the ticket anyway. The ticket requires the student and parent to go to court.
“He’s a pretty good kid,” Debra Rodgers said. “I can understand the purpose behind this law, but I think they need to realize that there has to be some wiggle room. Is he going to have to carry a copy of his class schedule with him to prove that he doesn’t have to be in school?”
The mother and son explained their predicament to Heaslip Monday and got their case continued.
“The judge is being very understanding. … It’s just a hassle for something that shouldn’t be happening,” Debra Rodgers said with sigh. “I had to take off work and he had to take off school to be here today. And now, we have to come back.”
So, the mom misses work and the kid misses one or two days or school. And this is supposed to be helping, how?
God forbid a youth should walk the streets when the authorities don’t want him to. Why are these laws not a violation of the 14th Amendment?
No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
I would think that walking along a street minding one’s own business would seem to fall into the category of one of the “privileges or immunities of citizens.” I guess kids aren’t citizens in the modern police state.