Thread: Judge Drops Charges Against Texas Students

http://www.wral.com/apnationalnews/9397884/detail.html

ROUND ROCK, Texas -- A judge has dismissed charges against five students who were ticketed for violating a city youth curfew while protesting national immigration policies.

Municipal Court Judge Dan McNeary dismissed two of the cases June 8 and three others on Thursday, Round Rock City Attorney Steve Sheets said. Prosecutors had asked the judge to drop the charges.

Sheets said cases are still pending against 93 other students who have pleaded not guilty. Eighty-three others pleaded guilty or no contest and accepted either $200 fines or up to 32 hours of community service.

The students fighting the charges argue that the city's curfew ordinance includes exemptions for free speech and free assembly.

Round Rock's youth curfew ordinance requires students younger than 17 to be in school between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The students were cited March 31 when they walked out of class to join the daytime immigration rallies.

The Round Rock youths were among thousands of students in California, Texas, Nevada and other states that marched to protest tough immigration bills under debate in Congress.

The students fighting the charges argue that the city's curfew ordinance includes exemptions for free speech and free assembly.

There's always a loop-hole. But does this sort of thing really apply to kids? Free assembly to a concert included? Boy....I am really out of the loop with some of these laws.

crazybird- don't feel bad. You are not out of the loop on the law at all, it is just that either they do not apply or they only apply for some of the population (citizens) and not for others (illegals) or they are not enforced at all anyway...our judicial branch of the government is just as fouled up as the executive and legislative branches.

Freedom of Speech aside, what happened to the truancy laws?

Originally Posted by PintoBean

Freedom of Speech aside, what happened to the truancy laws?

Round Rock's youth curfew ordinance requires students younger than 17 to be in school between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The students were cited March 31 when they walked out of class to join the daytime immigration rallies.

Maybe the ones dismissed were 17 or older?

Originally Posted by crazybird

The students fighting the charges argue that the city's curfew ordinance includes exemptions for free speech and free assembly.

There's always a loop-hole. But does this sort of thing really apply to kids? Free assembly to a concert included? Boy....I am really out of the loop with some of these laws.

"Loop-hole, " its called the law. Just like the law that allows you to kill a human being under certain circumstances. Look at the intent of the creation of the law.