NC: When Parenting Becomes a Crime: A Mother Arrested Just for Picking Up Her Child
In a shocking example of the extremes to which registry laws can reach, a mother in Greenville, North Carolina was arrested for picking up her child from Southwest High School — not because of misbehavior, not because of threat or complaint, but solely because she is a registered sex offender.
The woman was flagged by the Raptor system while attempting to pick up her child from school on September 30. Because she is listed on the North Carolina Sex Offender Registry, school staff contacted law enforcement, who then took her into custody.
Under North Carolina law, registered sex offenders are prohibited from being on school grounds. The Sheriff’s Office acknowledged that while the woman’s intent was to pick up her own child, her presence on campus constituted a violation of the law. She was arrested and charged accordingly.
FAC calls on our sister affiliate in North Carolina to challenge this law. Parents have fundamental rights to parent their children, including to pick them up from school, attend meetings, and support their education. Blanket bans or extreme restrictions that deny this access can infringe on parental rights — especially when no evidence suggests the parent poses any threat under the circumstances of the situation.
Discover more from Florida Action Committee (FAC)
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
For those interested: https://www.ncsbi.gov/Docs/SOR/SexOffenderRegPrograms.aspx
8.10 Certain Offenders Prohibited from Protected Locations
Thanks to FAC for addressing other injustices in other states.
According to Hillsborough County you are allowed to pick up your kids from school as long as you stay in the car. At least that’s what local registration office has told me. Multiple times I’ve been told it’s okay to pick up your kids. But you just can’t go inside without contacting them first.
Make the local LE registration office prove that in the writing of the law with chapter and verse.
I had a similar case happen.
I went to a school open house for my son. I was not aware of the law that we had to inform the school board and school principal in writting that we intended to attend the event. The resource officer who knew me supposedly made a report. And thought I was on probation. I was only told that we had to report us going to the school if we where on probation. So clearly this is on me. But I was not warned once about being there and I had been there for multiple open houses in the previous years without any problems. Ofcourse the sheriffs office blasted me on their social media to make themselves look better. My youngest kid was harrassed by the resource officer leading up to my arrest asking him every day if I was picking him up. My kids had to see what all the people said about me. These laws do not care about the innocents that get hurt along the way.
Literally laws state can no be on school ground except for business related. Probation officer told me my business is my son there. He takes the bus but since im the only parent who drive in case of emergency in Hernando you go to the front desk check in to get your son and they bring him to you. If on campus im followed by a official. They by law from the probation officer and law written can not keep you away from your child in florida but you. Have to check in with from office and follow their SOP. BTW one school in hernando had to write an SOP for me since I called and told them my lawyer was looking into it at the time since my rights are being violated and my child’s rights. They did comply
This is totally absurd and wrong on so many levels. Why didn’t they let her know about the law and give her a no trespassing warning. Q, did the courts also inform her of the does and don’t of navigating life after a Sexual predators conviction? I do not agree with this law at all, but the state should make ot clear to all sexual predators all of the rules based on state law before they are released.
Who said she’s a “predator?” 🤦
When my kids were in school in b Ocala, the staff had to walk them out to the street so I was not on school property when I picked them up. Dropping them off was not a real problem, they just bolted out of the car and ran.
I live in North Carolina. I get a letter every fall from the Superintendent of the County schools to not set foot on any school property. I was even denied to attend my son’s high school graduation. Who is FAC ‘s sister group?
NCRSOL
Thank you so much.
Robin at the sibling org is good and will hopefully be on it if he is aware of it.