Dad goes to jail for 18-year-old daughter failing GED test.

VanHalenRocks · 05.13.08, 08:07 AM

Man jailed when daughter fails to get diploma
05-13-08

CINCINNATI (AP) — A man ordered by a judge to make sure his daughter hit the books has found himself in jail because she failed to earn a high school equivalency diploma.

Brian Gegner, of Fairfield, was sentenced last week to 180 days in jail for contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a minor.

He was ordered months ago to make sure his 18-year-old daughter Brittany Gegner, who has a history of truancy, received her GED — something that hasn't happened yet.

Brittany Gegner, who said Monday that she plans to take a required GED test this month, said her father shouldn't be blamed for her failure because she has been living with her mother.

"It was my wrongdoing, not his," said Brittany Gegner, whose fiance and 18-month-old daughter also live at her mother's home in nearby Hamilton. "He shouldn't have to go to jail for something I did."

Her mother agrees.

"Brittany is almost 19 years old now and I think it's unfair to put her father in jail," said Shana Roach. "She's an adult now, and it's not right to rip an innocent man from his home."

Butler County Juvenile Court administrator Rob Clevenger Jr. said Monday that the court still has jurisdiction in the case because Brittany Gegner was a juvenile when the truancy problems began and when the charge against Brian Gegner was filed in 2007.

A hearing on a motion filed by Brian Gegner's attorney to reconsider the sentence is scheduled for Friday. Messages seeking comment were not returned Monday at the offices of defense attorney Tamara Sack and the Butler County prosecutor.

Brian Gegner's wife, Stephanie Gegner, said she and her husband are afraid he will lose his job where he has worked for 15 years if he remains in jail. She said they tried to keep his daughter in school.

"You'd take her to school and she'd go out the other door," Stephanie Gegner said.

OnTheInside1985 · 05.13.08, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VanHalenRocks

Man jailed when daughter fails to get diploma
05-13-08

CINCINNATI (AP) — A man ordered by a judge to make sure his daughter hit the books has found himself in jail because she failed to earn a high school equivalency diploma.

Brian Gegner, of Fairfield, was sentenced last week to 180 days in jail for contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a minor.

He was ordered months ago to make sure his 18-year-old daughter Brittany Gegner, who has a history of truancy, received her GED — something that hasn't happened yet.

Brittany Gegner, who said Monday that she plans to take a required GED test this month, said her father shouldn't be blamed for her failure because she has been living with her mother.

"It was my wrongdoing, not his," said Brittany Gegner, whose fiance and 18-month-old daughter also live at her mother's home in nearby Hamilton. "He shouldn't have to go to jail for something I did."

Her mother agrees.

"Brittany is almost 19 years old now and I think it's unfair to put her father in jail," said Shana Roach. "She's an adult now, and it's not right to rip an innocent man from his home."

Butler County Juvenile Court administrator Rob Clevenger Jr. said Monday that the court still has jurisdiction in the case because Brittany Gegner was a juvenile when the truancy problems began and when the charge against Brian Gegner was filed in 2007.

A hearing on a motion filed by Brian Gegner's attorney to reconsider the sentence is scheduled for Friday. Messages seeking comment were not returned Monday at the offices of defense attorney Tamara Sack and the Butler County prosecutor.

Brian Gegner's wife, Stephanie Gegner, said she and her husband are afraid he will lose his job where he has worked for 15 years if he remains in jail. She said they tried to keep his daughter in school.

"You'd take her to school and she'd go out the other door," Stephanie Gegner said.

How can a girl have no respect whatsoever for her parents who are trying hard to get to through school. Once your dad goes to jail because you're a dumbass...that should be a wakeup call.

pal1800 · 05.13.08, 08:48 AM

What country do we live in? Is this still the U.S.A.? I could understand if the daughter was 14,15,16 or something like that. Holding the parent responsible in some form would be reasonable. I guess the problem of irresponsible parents who have lots of kids(in many cases) has pushed this judge over the edge.

VanHalenRocks · 05.13.08, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pal1800

What country do we live in? Is this still the U.S.A.? I could understand if the daughter was 14,15,16 or something like that. Holding the parent responsible in some form would be reasonable. I guess the problem of irresponsible parents who have lots of kids(in many cases) has pushed this judge over the edge.

I agree. While I am a successful business owner and husband/parent now, I did my share of skipping school and even dropped out when I was 16. I had a single parent (mother) and she made sure I got to school - but I would go in one door and out the other. How could she have prevented that? I did end up getting my GED - but not because they threatened to put my mom in jail. This is fucking insane!

VanHalenRocks · 05.13.08, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheInside1985

How can a girl have no respect whatsoever for her parents who are trying hard to get to through school. Once your dad goes to jail because you're a dumbass...that should be a wakeup call.

But why should anyone's dad go to jail because their 18-year-old adult child is a dumbass? I can hear the jail cell conversations now: "I'm in for burglary man, what are you in for?" The father replies, "I'm doing six months for fathering a dumbass kid."

graeme · 05.13.08, 09:04 AM

Pretty unbelieveable the more you think about it. Some kids, no matter the quality of parenting, are just going to mess up. You can imagine the scenario had the father got too heavy handed.

In jail for child abuse.

The whole situation is crazy and if I am correct, some similar laws are in place in the UK too.

Jail because your kid failed an exam? Wow.

Wickett · 05.13.08, 10:26 AM

There's some details about this case that might possibly put some additional light on this. Why was Dad thrown in the clink, and not Mom? Did this come from the judge telling Dad to be more involved, and the judge found that he wasn't involved?

chefcraig · 05.13.08, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wickett

There's some details about this case that might possibly put some additional light on this. Why was Dad thrown in the clink, and not Mom? Did this come from the judge telling Dad to be more involved, and the judge found that he wasn't involved?

The case stems from sometime in 2007, yet that still doesn't make it anymore understandable. Hell, she's engaged and already has an 18 month old kid. How is this helping anyone involved here? What, is the judge running for office or something?

VH Wahoo · 05.13.08, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VanHalenRocks

Man jailed when daughter fails to get diploma
05-13-08

CINCINNATI (AP) — A man ordered by a judge to make sure his daughter hit the books has found himself in jail because she failed to earn a high school equivalency diploma.

Brian Gegner, of Fairfield, was sentenced last week to 180 days in jail for contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a minor.

He was ordered months ago to make sure his 18-year-old daughter Brittany Gegner, who has a history of truancy, received her GED — something that hasn't happened yet.

Brittany Gegner, who said Monday that she plans to take a required GED test this month, said her father shouldn't be blamed for her failure because she has been living with her mother.

"It was my wrongdoing, not his," said Brittany Gegner, whose fiance and 18-month-old daughter also live at her mother's home in nearby Hamilton. "He shouldn't have to go to jail for something I did."

Her mother agrees.

"Brittany is almost 19 years old now and I think it's unfair to put her father in jail," said Shana Roach. "She's an adult now, and it's not right to rip an innocent man from his home."

Butler County Juvenile Court administrator Rob Clevenger Jr. said Monday that the court still has jurisdiction in the case because Brittany Gegner was a juvenile when the truancy problems began and when the charge against Brian Gegner was filed in 2007.

A hearing on a motion filed by Brian Gegner's attorney to reconsider the sentence is scheduled for Friday. Messages seeking comment were not returned Monday at the offices of defense attorney Tamara Sack and the Butler County prosecutor.

Brian Gegner's wife, Stephanie Gegner, said she and her husband are afraid he will lose his job where he has worked for 15 years if he remains in jail. She said they tried to keep his daughter in school.

"You'd take her to school and she'd go out the other door," Stephanie Gegner said.

I'm assuming that the father and mother are separated and/or divorced since she states that she "lives with her mother", so if that's the case, let me get this straight: daughter, fiance' and 18-month old child live with the mother, yet it's the father who's going to jail? WTF is the father to do if she's not even living with him? And in another city an/or county to boot? Either something is really wrong here, or there's more to the story than is being told!

graeme · 05.13.08, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wickett

There's some details about this case that might possibly put some additional light on this. Why was Dad thrown in the clink, and not Mom? Did this come from the judge telling Dad to be more involved, and the judge found that he wasn't involved?

I'm sure you are correct but, regardless the history, it would appear that had the girl passed her exam, no action would be taken. (yes, I'm reading a little in between the lines).

Therefore, as a direct result of his child failing her exam, the father has gone to jail.

If any direct action were to be taken, I would think that the woman (and she is a woman) would be the one with the responsibility and surely the one to be punished but that is also absolute lunacy.

It's a very dangerous precedent to set.... "you will be educated in our set educational system or else".