Arrest of Homeless Connecticut Woman for Enrolling Son in School Illegally Sparks Debate

By Joshua Rhett Miller

Published April 26, 2011

FoxNews.com

A Connecticut mother who says she wanted to give her son a better education will be arraigned on Wednesday on charges for enrolling the 6-year-old in another town, sparking outrage and support from people nationwide.

Tanya McDowell, a 33-year-old homeless woman whose last known address was in Bridgeport, Conn, is scheduled to be arraigned on charges of larceny and conspiracy to commit larceny for allegedly stealing $15,686 from Norwalk schools. Prosecutors allege that figure is the value of her son's education at Norwalk's Brookside Elementary School between the time he was illegally enrolled in January and McDowell's arrest on April 14. If convicted, she faces up to 20 years in prison.

But Gwen Samuel, founder of the Connecticut Parents Union, an educational lobbying group, plans to hold a rally and press conference in support of McDowell in front of the state Superior Court in Norwalk at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Samuel said she wants the charges filed against McDowell to be dropped.

"This should've never happened," Samuel told FoxNews.com. "Do we really want to be punitive for this? We just cannot be the state that is stooping to this level. We can look at this and do it another way. This just should not be happening."

Samuel, who will be joined by McDowell on Wednesday, called upon state lawmakers to repeal legislation that criminalizes actions by parents who seek to obtain a better education for their children.

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