A mother has been arrested and sentenced to jail time for sending her five year old son to a school district where she had no permanent residence.

I can barely believe I’m having to type this sentence again. In a post just last year, I wrote about a woman in Ohio who was convicted of lying about where she lived in order to get her daughters into a better school district and was sentenced to 10 days in county jail, three years of probation, community service, and payment of up to $30,000 in back tuition she could be required to pay the school. At the time, I (morbidly) joked that I’m surprised they didn’t hit her with life in prison and tattoo “Thug Life” on her upper stomach.

Now, a year later, the same twisted logic and interpersonal and systemic racism has landed another mother in jail for the simple “crime” of wanting her child to access public education.

Tanya McDowell was living as a homeless woman when she was arrested for sending her five year old son to a school district where she- surprise- didn't have a permanent residence. Ms. McDowell has said that she only wanted a better education for her child. Despite a change.org petition that has generated over 15, 600 signatures asking for the charges to be dropped against her,she was just sentenced to 5 years in prisonafter pleading guilty in the case.

As I’ve mentioned previously, this story really hits home for me because my OWN mother did this for me, driving 30 minutes each way to school and back during a tough time of transition for my family. But because my mother is white, and we weren't homeless, or some other inexplicable reason, she didn't have to go to jail for her crime of fiercely loving her only child.

It’s hard to believe that our tax money is being spent prosecuting the most vulnerable and impoverished members of society for daring to dream a little bit bigger for members of the next generation- if we could even call sending your child to public school “daring to dream big”. This case is just another example of the ways in which motherhood can often be celebrated in theory but villified in practice in our society, especially when that motherhood doesn't look rich or white.

What is this country coming to? Actually, it was always this way! When is to going to stop?!?

This is taken from our Declaration of Independence

–That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.

Medicare/Medicaid is not a light or transient cause

Social Security is not a light or transient cause

Equality is not a light or transient cause

Troy Davis was not a light or transient cause

Aid for our veterans is not a light or transient cause

The economy is not a light or transient cause.

The middle class is not a light or transient cause

The poor and the homeless are not light or transient causes

HIV/AIDS is not a light transient cause.

Occupy Wall Street is not a light or transient cause

We may think we alter the government with our elections but we continue to be abused by those we give power to and those that rule over them (big corporations and the wealthiest 1-2%)

It’s time for a revolution!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!