Charges dropped against honor student jailed for truancy after working two jobs to support siblings... as she REFUSES to accept $100,000 raised for her

Diane Tran, 17, thrown in jail for one night because of repeated absences from school over six-month period



Has been working two jobs to keep family afloat since parents' divorce

Judge drops charges 'after looking at her extenuating circumstances'



Group in Louisiana helped raise more than $100,000 for her - but she refuses to accept it



The 17-year-old honour student forced to spend a night in jail for missing too much school after she worked two jobs to keep her family afloat has had the charges against her dropped.

There was international outcry after Texas teenager Diane Tran was ordered to spend 24 hours behind bars, with thousands of people donating a total of $100,000 to a fund send up by supporters.

Now, as the teenager has the charges against her dismissed, she has also refused to accept the generous sum, explaining: 'There's some other kid out there struggling more than me.'

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Relief: A judge has dismissed the charges against honour student Diane Tran after she spent a night in jail for excessive truancy from school. She worked two jobs to support her siblings

Justice of the Peace Lanny Moriarty dropped the charges against her after looking into her extenuating circumstances, the Houston Chronicle reported.

They were also dismissed as court summons did not notify the student of her right to an attorney or to have one appointed for her, officials said .

The Chronicle reported Moriarty had counseled Tran when she was first summoned to court for truancy in April and explained the importance of attending school.



But on May 23, she was brought back after she missed an extra four days at school, as well as parts of a further four days. During these visits, she never indicated her home issues, he said.

Support: People from all over the world donated to a fund to help Diane Tran to support her family. But the teenager has refused to accept the $100,000 raised

Her attorney, Brian Wice, told the Chronicle Tran was under an incredible amount of pressure from her extra work and had not known what to tell the court.

'She is not someone unwilling to come to class because she's attending a rock concert,' Wice said. 'She's an incredible gal who is working and studying sometimes 24 hours a day and contributing to her siblings' support more than a teenager should have a right to do.'

After her parents got divorced, her mother left the state and her father often worked too late to come home. She began supporting her older brother and younger sister.

After going to school from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m., she worked full-time at a dry cleaner's, and on weekends, she helped organise weddings for a local business.

She told KHOU 11 News that she missed around three days of school every month because of sheer exhaustion.

Devastated: Diane, who spent a night in jail, was not told she had a right to an attorney, officials said

Abandoned: Her parents divorced 'out of the blue' and left Tran and her two siblings to fend for themselves

To help her cope, Louisiana Children’s Education Alliance set up a website, HelpDianeTran.com , demanding justice for the teen and raised more than $100,000 for her family.

LCEA president Charlie D avis told Fox News that the story of Ms Tran is just one example of a ‘student who’s obviously working so hard and is being taken advantage of by the system.’

He continued: ‘I think Diane unfortunately is at the centre of two failed systems in America – our public education system and our judicial system.’

Mr Davis said he hopes the 17-year-old student puts the money to supporting her brother and sister, and her college education.

But ABC reported that she had refused to accept the donation, saying: 'There's some other kid out there struggling more... than me.'

U-turn: Judge Lanny Moriarty had ordered Tran to pay a $100 fine, but has now dismissed the charges

Honour student: Tran works a full time job, a part-time job and takes advancement and dual credit college level courses at Willis High School near Houston, Texas

Since her story spread around the world, the Texas teenager t old KHOU that she ’s fixing all of her attention on finals, and will grant more interviews once the school year is over.

ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY: TEXAS TRUANCY LAWS According to Texas state law, students who are absent from school without parental consent for three days in a four-week period or ten or more days in a six-month period are subject to prosecution.

The exact punishment for offenders is left for the judge to decide.

Parents of children who miss excessive amounts of school may also be prosecuted.

The strict law is in place to keep students in school and learning.

According to Texas state law, Ms Tran violated the state’s truancy laws, which do not allow more than 10 days of absences within a six-month period.

Ms Tran said she works a full time job, a part-time job, and takes advancement and dual credit college level courses at Willis High School.

'[I take] dual credit U.S. history, dual credit English literacy, college algebra, Spanish language AP,' she said of her impressive academic workload.

However, the high-achiever cannot devote as much time as she would like to her schooling as she often misses an entire day, reported KHOU .

Ms Tran said that her parents divorced 'out of the blue,' leaving her and her two siblings to fend for themselves.

And so, it fell to Ms Tran to support her siblings, who include an older brother at Texas A&M University and a younger sister who lives with relatives.

Local authorities are using Ms Tran's case to crackdown on truancy.

At the sentencing, Judge Moriarty ordered the exhausted student to pay a $100 fine and spend 24 hours in jail as a lesson.

'If you let one [truant student] run loose, what are you gonna' do with the rest of 'em? Let them go too?' he said.



Ms Tran's employer at the Waverly Manor wedding venue, where she works over the weekends, suggested that the authorities should 'help [the family], don't harm them'.

Offering help: Louisiana Children's Education Alliance president Charlie Davis helped raise more than $100,000 for Ms Tran

Her co-worker and classmate Devin Hill told the network how hard her friend works. 'She goes from job to job, from school, she stays up 'til 7 o'clock in the morning to study,' she said.

On the homepage of the school's website, there is a warning to students to be vigilant about their attendance.

'Should a student have multiple unexcused absences and a pattern of failing to attend school regularly, the law is clear that the matter becomes the jurisdiction of the court system,' it states.

However, locals are arguing that Ms Tran's case is unique and should be treated with more leniency.

Ms Tran, in the meantime, is worried this could mar her future ambitions - she one day hopes to become a doctor.



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