Stealing Free Education?!: Homeless Mom Sentenced to Jail for Enrolling Son in "Wrong" School District

Everyone just wants the best for their children. But one mother took it too far – at least in the eyes of the law.

Tonya McDowell plead guilty to fraudulently enrolling her child in the wrong school district. That, on top of 4 unrelated drug charges, has landed her a 12-year prison sentence.

McDowell lives out of her van, but is officially registered as a resident of Bridgeport, Connecticut. However, she enrolled her 6-year old son in the nearby Norfolk school district, just to give him a better education.

It was discovered that, despite McDowell’s claims that she occasionally slept in a Norfolk homeless shelter, she’d used a babysitter’s Norfolk address to deceive school officials. The police report says McDowell ‘stole’ over $15,000 in free education.

The case initially received widespread attention due to the civil issues it brings up – how are you going to penalize a down-on-her-luck mom just trying to do the best thing for her child?

But McDowell accepted the charges under the Alfred Doctrine, which means she’ll take the punishment but isn’t going to out-and-out admit guilt. Per the deal but considering the drug charges, she should serve just 5 of the 12 years the judge sentenced her to.

McDowell and her lawyer still isn’t happy with the results. “You shouldn’t be arrested for stealing a free education. It’s just wrong,” said the attorney.

"I have no regrets seeking a better education for him, I do regret my participation in this drug case," said McDowell afterwards.

SMH