A Decatur, Georgia man is being charged with violating a Georgia law that requires sex offenders must not come within 500 feet of a school. On January 25th, a man required to register visited Parsons Elementary School for one hour to attend one of his own child’s school events.
Georgia law does provide an exemption, where the person is “attending a meeting about their own child and notifies school administration of their presence”, but the man failed to notify the school. He now faces prison time.
If you think the rule is unfairly harsh and can’t imagine anyone being prosecuted for violating it; the same court sentenced someone to two years in prison for a similar violation.this past May!
There was recently a case of parents of an epidemic child who gave their child marijuana for his epilepsy. He was having 10 attack’s per day. They couldn’t get it locally, legally. The child had gone 71 days without an attack. The parents were put in jail and the child taken away from them . After a long ordeal through the courts the parents won there case. Sometimes Justice’s override bad laws for the sake of justice so maybe there is some hope.
I can see how asking permission in advance would go over. If permission was granted the parent would probably be assigned a escort a security guard or school resource officer how long do you think that would go unnoticed by school staff and students before you know it the entire school knows your status and your kids are being bullied or you and your children are now considered unwanted distractions and you. are asked to explore or education optons. All of this because a decision was made on fear and false information
Explore other educational options
Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous! Why do courts consistently ignore the constitutional protections they’re sworn to uphold!? It was Ronald Reagan who brought this state of affairs on us by slamming to a stop all attempts to reform a broken criminal justice system the minute he was elected. He telegraphed his intentions immediately when he took away legitimate social security payments of elderly prisoners, and then went on to eliminate parole from the federal system immediately he was sworn in.
When my son was in grade school, he played T-ball and I went to watch and was told I had to leave, which I did. Now I have Grand kids in school, and I can’t go to their activities because of this stupid law. What is our “Great Governor of Florida going to come up with next??? Have the politicians checked what the recidivism rate is for “Sex Offenders”? They call us “Sex Offenders”, but I haven’t taken a test lately to see if I still qualify as a “Sex Offender”. Maybe they should start a Collage Course to teach us how to be one. I realize that sounds stupid, but I am really disgusted with our Law Makers.
Is the law too harsh, you ask? Harsh is an understatement. Since the invention of the ‘Sex Offender Registry’ (SOR) in 1994, each passing year, Congress and state legislators have turned some citizens lives into a living nightmare conceived in hell. It’s not enough to plaster your whole life and address on a publicly accessible website and for what? Making one bad impetus decision that would prove to be stigmatization for life. Now they enact laws that declare: Don’t do this! Don’t do that! Cannot work here! Cannot work there! No, you cannot live near here! No, you cannot live there! No, you cannot definitely be in schools! No, you cannot be or live near schools neither! No public playgrounds either! Nor any localities or businesses that have these kinds of ‘amenities’ for children or teenagers! That means you cannot go to public beaches and swimming pools or any places where children or teenagers might congregate. There is no place these men and women can possibly live, even after serving their sentences out, without a high probability of violating these ungodly laws. Especially, in this day and age, and how our communities are so interconnected and open. I guess under a bridge will be the only place these individuals– in these states’ with extremely restrictive laws– can live or congregate. If these state/federal legislators cannot see this is wrong and wicked, what will the next generation uphold?
I can’t speak for everyone but I do know if they put my whole life on the internet that my sex offense would occupy only a minuscule portion of the story. The problem, though, is that what they put on the internet is only the negative aspects while anything positive done in life is put in the dumpster.
The ironic thing is that registered sex offenders are not assaulting kids at schools. Teachers and coaches are the only ones there being accused.
This is not rocket science. Schools are screening parents and using a device sold as a Sex Offender Identifier. As soon as they find you on the list you are no longer allowed on the School Property for any reason in many States.
School boards panic stricken with misinformation and vigilante mentality create these insane ordinances.
You try to care for your children but as a RSO Society says don’t touch your kids. The only solution is to challenge these Compliance issues in every court in the land. JEV
Thats why i pulled mine from public school.And you know what else im about at my last straw with all this.Back in 91 on my 18th birthday I committed my charge plead out to 3 years probation and was told it would be finished yeah right here comes the registration law now its pulled me in And to tell you something you cannot raise your kids while on the registry.No first day of school.no sports for them the things dads do is finished and my kids weren’t born and to now subject them to this.If i didn’t have a family i would have been snapped and the thing is we remained friends and now our kids stay the night with each other every one who knows me say is this from when you were in highschool?I say yes never had any other charges arrests or anything one charge from 91 in high school and im still facing it but you what dammit im tired now!!!!!!
Is your situation the system’s definition of correction and restoration? Who in their right mind could possibly go along with the craziness some of our legislators are putting citizens and their families through? As I see it the greatest threat to our society is not ex-sex offenders but power hungry, brainless politicians who will do anything…lie, cheat, steal…to maintain power. Do the ex-offender’s children mean anything?
@ Capt.
Do the ex-offender’s children mean anything?
In a word? No.
Although I imagine they do only if they are voters.
Our so-called justice system has gone totally crazy. Too bad the man wasn’t a murderer or armed home invader. He could have gone to the school for his child’s event with no problem. If he goes to prison he will be separated from his children…whom he obviously cares about. Where are the ‘bleeding hearts’ who believe that separating children from their illegal immigrant parents is ‘criminal’? How can a justice system get so screwed up?
Same kind of law here in Michigan. You have to get prior permission from the school for any visit. What are the odds that the school officials will actually grant that permission though. Can’t go watch a football game, even if your son is the star quarterback. Can’t go watch your 7-year-old daughter’s school play. It has to do real harm to the children’s psychological well-being as well.
And now again the gov’t will seperate children from parents.
Anyone with commons sense would see past the history of “SEX OFFENDER” at school and realize he’s a parent doing what parents are supposed to do. I am very glad this guy is not taking a plea deal because let’s be honest: There is no good outcome of a plea deal, especially when it comes to registrants.
I bet more than anything this will get dropped as long as he fights it or if nothing else, he’ll win on an appeal should he lose due to the constitutionality of this issue.
It’s been the same law here in Michigan for years, and no one is winning appeals on constitutional grounds, I’m afraid. Just think how the kids feel when they see everyone else’s dads there but theirs. Everyone assumes he’s a rotten father, not realizing that his hands are tied. Same for grandparents on the registry. Very sad.