Just another shining example of nanny state bureaucrats telling parents how to raise their own children ... and, using the long arm of the law to force them to comply.
A police officer in Utah recently cited the mother of a kindergartner with “misdemeanor child neglect” because she allows him to walk to and from school without adult supervision. Nevermind the fact that bureaucrats’ recent spending cuts eliminated bus service for five-year-old Noah Talbot.
Rosella Talbot, a mother of six, said Noah is typically accompanied on his morning walk to school by one of his older brothers. Noah’s kindergarten class lets out early, but he has been provided by his mother with strict instructions that they practiced together for walking alone and wears a bright orange safety vest to ensure his visibility at intersections.
When a police officer recently witnessed one of the rare instances of Noah walking to school alone, he was put in the back of the squad car and driven back home to his mother.
Talbot said she informed the police officer about the safety routine she taught Noah and how she “rode a bike with her son the mile-long distance from school for more than two weeks, showing him the best route to take and the obstacles to avoid,” but was still issued a citation for “misdemeanor child neglect” because the officer did not agree with her parenting decision.
“I am not a neglectful parent, thank you very much,” she told the Deseret News. “I have just done everything I could possibly do.”
The South Jordan School District, by law, does not provide bus service for students who live less than a mile and a half from their school. A budget shortfall this year forced bureaucrats to eliminate so-called “hazardous routes,” leaving countless youngsters to navigate these dangerous streets on their own or with adult supervision, if available.
“These are some serious charges. … I can’t be a Girl Scout leader,” Talbot said. “I can’t work at a day care … I am just so frustrated.”
Talbot’s attorney is expected to enter a not guilty plea during a hearing on Jan. 5.
Agree or disagree with the police officer citing Rosella Talbot with misdemeanor child neglect because he doesn’t agree with her parenting decision? Contact Police Chief Lindsay Shepherd and let him know how you feel.
Email Chief Shepherd: lshepherd@sjc.utah.gov
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