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The Essence of a Woman
Tuesday, February 28, 2006 Today's news Story.....

Woman Sentenced To Jail For Sons' Truancy
Prosecutors Say Teens Missed 50 Days Each

POSTED: 6:03 am EST February 28, 2006
UPDATED: 7:03 pm EST February 28, 2006

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ROCKVILLE, Md. -- The mother of two Rockville teenagers is headed to jail after a Montgomery County jury found her guilty of failing to send her kids to school.

Prosecutors say 44-year-old Shirley Lumbao's 13- and 15-year-old sons each missed more than 50 days of class last year. The mother has been sentenced to spend two nights in jail and could face more jail time if her sons' attendance doesn't improve.

Attorneys said Lumbao works two jobs and was unable to get the boys to school.

Lumbao's eldest son Timothy said the situation is not his mother's fault. "You know it's not fair that they put my mother in jail, because it's my brother's fault."


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Assistant State's Attorney Jeffrey Wennar told The Washington Post the sentence was necessary to send a message to the woman and her sons in the courtroom Monday. He said truancy won't be tolerated.

Prosecutors say they try to work with families and only go to court as a last resort.

Brian Edwards of Montgomery County public schools said the district tries its best to work with families wher truancy is a problem. School officials have bought the boys alarm clocks and offered incentives to come to class.

"We worked with her over almost 2 years, and in the end she still didn't do it, those kids were missing 50 plus days of school a year, we had to send a strong message here," said Edwards.

Timothy believes his mother tried her best to get his brothers to go to school and that they simply defied her. He's now worried his mother could lose one of her jobs.

Unlike other states, Maryland prosecutes parents, not children, for truancy. Lumbao is the first parent in Montgomery County to do be sentenced to jail for the crime.
Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed



Hmmmm, well, I am not sure where I stand on this. 50 days of missed school. That is a bit excessive. However, it sounds like this mom was working when he kids are suppose to be getting up and going to school. My question, is this DA and Judge a single mother who has to work two jobs just to keep the electric on and food in her kids mouths? I mean, why not going after the farther for not being supportive and getting his children up while the mother is working to support her children. But hey, he is not a part of their lives so he is accountable for their actions I guess. If this was a parent who didn't care, then yeah, put her jail, but she seems like a caring mother trying to make ends meet. I would like the DA and Judge to walk a mile in her shoes.

Posted by The Phenomenal Woman :: 9:19 PM :: 1 Know the Essence of a Woman

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