It’s about time the authorities started cracking down on lying parents. Think about the example parents are setting for their kids, and decide whether you think it’s OK for a parent who lives in Jefferson County to convince an Oldham County resident to lie and say his son lives in her home. Then the lie requires signing an affidavit, saying your child lives in a house he doesn’t live in.
This guy in Oldham County isn’t the only one who’s guilty, but Charles Lauron is being set up as the poster child for what may be one of the most common crimes in the region. He’s been doing it for eight years.
According to reports, Lauron wanted to get his child out of Jefferson County Public Schools. He apparently didn’t want to pay for private school, but thought the Oldham County system would be a better bet for his child. So he lied. For 8 years.
The controversy has set off all kinds of opinions. I’m listening to the haters calling in the Mandy Connell’s show on WHAS, where she enables them to use the issue as an excuse to bitch about the quality of JCPS schools, the fact they have to pay school taxes and even to air their hatred for illegal aliens.
Some think the penalty is a bit harsh. If convicted, and there’s no reason to think it’s not a clear-cut case, both Lauron and the Oldham County woman, Donna Claggett, face 5-10 years in jail and a $10,000 fine. Oldham County officials say it costs $3,300 a year for each student in the school system. Lauron’s crime amounts to the theft of more than $20K.
I heard the case was investigated after the child was overheard by friends discussing something that happened in his neighborhood, which is on New LaGrange Road.
So to stay safe, these parental lawbreakers not only have to sign an affidavit saying something that isn’t true, but should instruct their children to be careful about what they say in school about their homelife. I think any school would be in favor of teaching that’s not right.
The bottom line is that this case is putting a lot of fear in the minds of parents who are lying about their residence in order for their kids to go to the school they prefer. And they’re seeing the word “jail” in relation to the story. And Lauron and Claggett are dodging reporters knocking on their door.
So expect a lot of kids to be switching schools soon as the case goes to court.
