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Williams-Bolar's father, Edward Williams, is also being charged with fourth-degree grand theft for stealing more than $30,000 in school services for the two girls. Williams-Bolar herself will spend 10 days in jail and be placed on probation. Also, the judge in the case, Patricia Cosgrove, made it clear that she was using Williams-Bolar to set an example for other parents who consider doing the same thing. The judge went out of her way to tell the woman that she gave her jail time "so that others who think they might defraud the school system perhaps will think twice.''
Besides being a single mom, Williams-Bolar was going to school part time in the hope of getting a job as a teacher. The judge noted that because Williams-Bolar has been convicted of a felony, she will no longer be allowed to teach in the state of Ohio. Therefore, the punishment that she and her girls will face is set to last a lifetime.
The Kelley Williams-Bolar case strikes a chord with quite a few people in the black community for a few reasons. Most directly, a lot of kids can remember their own mothers doing the same thing to try to break the cycle of poverty that so many of us confront as children. Inner-city schools are inadequately funded, so many parents have no choice when it comes to finding ways to get their kids a good education. Some of the children I mentor attended poorly performing inner-city schools and even though they did what they were told, most of them were unprepared for college after graduation and had never even done any homework.
One has to also wonder why there is a $30,000 funding differential between the school that Williams-Bolar sent her children to and the one that was in her district. Logic seems to imply that if funding were roughly proportionate between the two districts, it would simply be awash, where one school's spending could be compensated by another school's savings. But this is not the case in a world where far too many people of color are locked in to the horrible schools in their districts, as our elected officials continue to ignore the problem. Many of these schools don't have books or quality teachers, while the kids in the suburbs are given everything they need to be successful. The idea that citizens are now being put in jail for attempting to access educational equality is nothing short of being Jim Crow-like in nature.
Black family economic inequality also plays a huge role in this case. It's hard to imagine that the judge would have been compelled to make an example out of Williams-Bolar were she not a poor single mother from the projects. If she were a wealthy woman from the suburbs, she would have been able to afford the kinds of attorneys that keep people out of jail, and she also would not have been forced to break the law to help her girls get access to a good school. This case just stinks to high heaven.
Dr. Martin Luther King reminded us many years ago that a moral man or woman has the right to violate unjust laws. Williams-Bolar's decision to break the law of educational apartheid to give her daughters a better future is no different from those who broke the law to teach slaves how to read. Access to education should be a fundamental American right, but as it stands, being poor has now become a crime, especially if you have the audacity to demand equality.
Kelley Williams Bolar Update: Petitions, Anderson Cooper 360, ABC News Jump In
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce's commentary delivered to your e-mail, please click here. 
Comments: (248)
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By: Amada Gonzalez on 1/25/2011 10:51AM
This is why our justice system needs a complete overhaul. This is absolutely ridiculous and she should get an attorney and not only appeal that decision, but have that Judge lose her license for making such a discriminatory decision and preventing the her children the right to a proper and fair education. We need to be more than outraged here. We have to get together and decide what can WE do about this so that another poor family doesn't have to suffer the same humiliation.
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By: Aron on 1/25/2011 11:10AM
The Judicial System Has no Concern For Peoples Welfare When your in a Court Of Law the Floor is There's,Districting and Seperate Schools is in Fact How They Keep the So Called Unteachable ones Away from The Gifted. This Judge in Her Action Showed That She Stands Firm on This Issue But with a Unashamed Lashing that has become an Issue She has Shown that the Racist past has not Persuaded the Courts, they will inact the laws that Exist Worst Part Is This Judge has in her power to be insightful in This Womans Attempt To Better her Childrens Education, But Would Rather Continue Down This Destructive Path of leaving Folks Challenged By The Legal System .Being Born In Boston Home Of Forced Bussing you Understand that these Laws Play a Major role in our inability to get a FAIR Start. Learn Your National Laws And Learn How These Courts Know That You Dont Know Them. then watch the Games they Play
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By: Karran Harper Royal on 1/25/2011 11:47AM
This is outrageous! With all the talk about parent options and school choice, yet this mother was left without a choice near her home. This is why we must insist on actually improving the schools we have instead of being charmed into Charter at any cost. There are a number of charter schools in Akron, and for whatever reason, this mother did not choose them, or they didn't choose her kids. We must FIX our schools, not give a few away them away. There are children who need all of our schools to work so that mothers don't have to do what this mother did.
So, who's helping this mother get out of this mess?
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By: herman on 1/25/2011 1:28PM
From what I have read and seem there a large number of people that’s upset concerning the sentencing of Ms Kelly Williams Bolar, Why not send a email letting the judge know how you feel, Below I have listed the email address of her office
Kelly Williams-Bolar broke the law however the punishment does not fit the crime,
She did not attempt to rob a local supermarket, She is someone is trying to better her life as well as her children’s life, She sent her children to a different school district in order to obtain a quality education, If you are upset at her sentencing do something about it send an email to, Judge Patricia Cosgrove, staff and make them aware of how you feel concerning the unjust sentencing.;;;;
Remember the pen is mightier than the sword
Judicial Attorney, Kandi O'Connor
koconnor@cpcourt.summitoh.net koconnor@cpcourt.summitoh.net
Judicial Assistant, Tamara Keefer
tkeefer@cpcourt.summitoh.net tkeefer@cpcourt.summitoh.net
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By: right on 1/26/2011 9:03AM
Thank you for this information, I have sent a message to both.
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By: CML on 1/25/2011 12:53PM
Judge Patricia Cosgrove has now stated publicly that officials on the state level refused to allow Ms. Williams-Bolar to plead down to a misdemeanor, hoping to make an example of her. Ms. Williams-Bolar's attorneys are currently preparing for appeal. A petition has been started to urge local and OH state officials to reduce her sentence upon appeal. Please sign it and pass it along.
http://criminaljustice.change.org/petitions/view/calling_for_reduction_on_appeal_of_ms_kelly_williams-bolars_unfair_sentencing_for_fraud_and_theft
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By: jeromequigley on 1/25/2011 3:10PM
CML, before you do all that. you may want to read the post I put on here. It's after this one of yours. And 2 do not take what Dr Watkins tells you for anything more than his opinion and agenda to generate hate where there should be none. I appreciate your passion and spirit to do some thing to actual help some one. But you are working off of BIG LIES that Dr W has told and therefore is making you react in a untrue manner!! This judge is a very good person, she had no choice but to follow the jury's decision of guilty. She gave Ms W-B the lightest sentence she could and even wrote to the OH board of Ed. and asked them Not to suspend Ms.W-B's teaching Asst Lic or any future lic. Because in the judge's words "Ms W-B was a woman with very good qualities". Judge Cosgrove did not have to do that, but she did because she does care. She is also involved in many things like, Mentoring Students, Member of group who does Minority Clerkship Programs, and finally 1 or only 3 judges in that county that works on the "Re EntryCourt Program for Convicted FElons", helping them adjust to life after prison with jobs and training, a place to stay, addiction abuse programs. This is a good lady who does more for minority's and felons than Dr W ever has (other than complain). Word of advice ALWAYS TRIPLE VERIFY ANYTHING DR W. SAYS, 9 OUT OF 10 TIMES HE AINT GIVEN YOU ALL THE FACTS!!! And she never said any of that stuff about making an example out of Ms W-B either!! And if you find a "reliable source" that says she did I would love to for you to let me know!! Again this is NO SLAM, I think it is great you are so passionate and wanting to actually help....to bad Dr W lead you a foul!!!
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By: right on 1/26/2011 9:03AM
Thank you CML, I have signed the petition and will send it through my social media networks.
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By: carmen on 1/26/2011 3:54PM
Something is really wrong with this period. taxes is getting paid at the father's residence so what is the problem. I never can understand this district stuff what if i dont have kids i still have to pay into the school system. everybody needs to come together and stop all this nit picking.
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By: leslie.2007 on 1/25/2011 1:02PM
Where I come from, people do that all the time just to avoid going to certain schools and I have never known any of them to get caught, less known a felony if something were to happen. I feel sorry for the lady especially since she's trying to a better life. It's really sad. She just wants better for her kids and who can blame her for that?
It's just that white folks don't want black folks to get a good education. It's slavery time all over again, this country is moving backward rather than forward.
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