Judge Orders Woman Read to Her Children

[XanaDUer]

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050726/NEWS17/507260367

Article published Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Judge orders woman to read to children

By JENNIFER FEEHAN
BLADE STAFF WRITER


BOWLING GREEN - An idea that Wood County Common Pleas Judge Alan Mayberry has been kicking around for a while played out yesterday in his courtroom when he sentenced a young mother.


He ordered the Perrysburg Township woman to perform 200 hours of community service, but he went a little further, telling her she must spend 200 hours at the local library reading to her children or listening to them read to her.

"It seemed like it may be better than picking up litter - not that there's anything wrong with picking up litter, but this might have more long-lasting results," he said.

Judge Mayberry said his wife is an elementary school teacher who is often frustrated by the number of parents who do not take the time to read to their children or listen to their kids read. That got him thinking of the parents he hears saying they want to spend more time with their children...

[dsc]

1. This sounds reasonable to me

[musical_soul]

2. At least it's productive.

That's more than I can say about the concept of just throwing people in jail all the time.

[XanaDUer]

3. I agree.

This judge sounds pretty good to me.

[musical_soul]

5. Get him to the higher courts.

We need more reasonable judges there.

[karlrschneider]

4. Sounds like a damn good way to combat illiteracy.

:eyes:

[WhiteTara]

6. good for him and the children

I learned how to read sitting under a tree with my mother. I am sure she was bored to death, but I remember the moment when the words were not just words, but told a whole story and I have been hooked ever since. It's just a shame though that a mother would have to be ordered to be with her children by a court.

[peacefreak]

7. I don't think your mother was bored.

One of the most exciting moments as a parent was when "the light went on" when teaching my daughter to read. Still one of my fondest memories. She's still a great reader.

[WhiteTara]

8. you may be right

I just remember the laborious summer of one word at a time, until that magic moment.