Renee,

In order to be on Probation in Michigan you have to have been convicted.

The sentence(punishment) is done by a judge after the person has either plead guilty or been found guilty, either is considered a conviction at the sentencing stage.

Probation usually means a lighter type sentence and maybe some time in the local jail not going to prison.

Laney,

Kuddos to you. I'm glad you have been able to move forward from whatever your circumstances were.

When I question about a second chance, I'm not saying there should be no opportunity. If you read my earlier posting, I state that there is a need to help keep this mom involved.

My question of second chance is more of a "how quickly" do you completely trust the person in different situations.

For further clarification of my kids example:

When my kiddo is late getting home, I don't just say no to the next time going somewhere & that's the end of the punishment. I have the punishment of not being allowed to go out and the next few times, it's earlier curfews. After I know they are back to following the rules I set forth, then I allow them the later curfew. Please note that usually the reason is "the clock is different at so and so's house." While this is acceptable and forgivable the first time, it doesn't work for the next.

I have flags saying - involved mom, yeah she's working at turning around her situation, but then the flag waves again at the fact she is denying. I'm not sure which way it's blowing. Again, without the facts we're speculating.

While you are passionate from your experience, I am from mine. Unfortunately, my experience of working with convicted offenders rarely has a happy ending. For everyone that does get "turned around," there's a large number who don't.

I also have been involved with a group when confronted with an embezzlement issue, swept it under the rug. Ughh! Who wants to be involved with a group who doesn't seem to care they lost thousands of dollars.

I think before any more of us respond by firing back and forth at each other, we really need to have more of the facts from M'smom.

It seems that many of us are on the same page, just reading different paragraphs and speculating different scenarios.

I reread the orginal post and no where does it say she was convicted, just on probation. Without the whole story, we can only guess and give our opinions on that. Since it's probation, maybe it was a OUIL(DWI). But I do think the principal should have handled it differently and addressed just her. I do hope she is getting her life together and everyone lets her have a second chance. Good luck.

The truth is more important than the facts. ~Frank Lloyd Wright

Laney, You are right on all counts (no pun intended).
People are always making assumptions (in life too) based on the limited (and maybe not even 100% accurate) 'facts' as reported in these posts.

On these board , NO ONE has the facts, and NO ONE has the TRUTH, so dont feel offended one bit.
And good for you, showing the other side of it. We all need to hear from the other side. We all need to THINK from the other side.

"You never see people how THEY are. You see people how YOU are." A. Einstein

ademom74- how dare you?

Trusting a felon doesn't make sense

Have we not all broken the law at one time or another= speeding, not stopping completely at a stop sign, not admitting when you're charged the wrong price at the store? The only difference is that this person was convicted. Without knowing the circumstances how can you make such a judgement? Perhaps this woman was paid too much through food stamps and spent it-this is a felony to which she can be convicted. Yes maybe she shouldn't have spent it but maybe she was laid off and did not have food for her children. We don't know the reason for her probation. And it is not for us to judge as to whether she can be trusted. We once had a wonderful volunteer who went through something like this and she proved to be a great asset to us. Perhaps this person accumulated too many parking tickets or wrote a bad check because her husband skipped out taking all the money? Know the facts before forming an opinion.


As a convicted felon I am very passionate about this topic mainly because of the ignorance of others. Fortunately for me my group was supportive of my leadership (I served as President for over 3 years) and they did not presume to be perfect themselves. They based their decision on the situation and the person I am- not what has happened in my past. There was never a question of whether I could be trusted. We actually decided that I would be less likely to do something wrong as opposed to someone who hadn't been 'caught' yet. As a matter of fact when I served as Treasurer the school asked me to do it because of my accounting experience and my books and reports were better then they had ever seen.

How many times have you seen on the news that a volunteer or a school employee who had a background check performed was later convicted of a crime? Now compare that number with those who had a prior conviction? A background check does not guarantee that a person can be trusted. Actually my background check does not show a conviction. I agree with many here that as long as the issue did not involve a child (abuse, neglect, etc.) then the person should not be denied the opportunity to help out. She was convicted and tried- she is paying for it. Does everyone not deserve a second chance?

PerusingwithCoffee =

As far as a second chance: at what risk are you willing to put your group? do you want to know nothing until it's already gone?

There is no fool proof way for any group or business to be 100% certain. I agree that if the woman is denying the charges that is a red flag however it may be beneficial to speak with her and let her know what the principal knows. It is human nature when backed against the wall to be defensive. Perhaps she was actually an innocent person caught in the crossfire of someone else's crime. Innocent people are convicted every day.


queen4the kids, CrewChief, Renee S an proudmomx2 = As a felon, as a mother, as a proud volunteer who has served for 5 years on the PTO Board and currently serves as a Booster President--- I thank you for being forgiving and not being as closed minded as so many others.


Being saved does not mean being perfect- it means I have been forgiven. Only He can judge me when the day comes.

[ 05-31-2006, 12:39 AM: Message edited by: Laney ]

I have a conviction (misdemeanors)for
Brawling
Public Intox
Hindering a Police Matter (that's the offical charge)
Brawling, Inciting a fight

I've held various PTO/PTA board positions, Boy Scouts, Jaycees, and 2 501c3; never has it been an issue- and my unit got into WAAAAY to many Barfights (22yrs old- single- testonerhone(sp?)-overseas-pretty girls- liqour- did I mention liqour- pretty girls- and did I mention liquor? :cool: )

From my younger days in the Military; does that exclude a person from PTO/PTA

If a person has a conviction (probation with standing or not)
As long as IT not A Felony (whole difference- then they actually dont have certain US Citizen rights) or doesnt include Child.. Anything.

Then In my humble opinion the Principal Erred BIGTIME in engaging in her tattling.
Now not knowing what the actual charge(s) and pending probation- I could change or stay the same

[ 05-31-2006, 12:13 AM: Message edited by: Shawn ]