Kelley Williams-Bolar has been sentenced to 5 years in jail, with all but 10 days suspended, for sending her children to a suburban school rather than a school in the Akron City School district in which they lived. Williams-Bolar falsely used her father's address as their address.
Copley-Fairlawn City School District hired private detectives to follow her when they suspected her daughters did not live in their district. Copley-Fairlawn claims that they were defrauded of $30,000.
Williams-Bolar is a few credits shy of getting her teaching certification from the University of Akron. A felony conviction jeopardizes her ability to teach in Ohio.
Copley-Fairlawn City Schools have a 1% dropout rate. Akron City schools have a 6% dropout rate, which is a pretty significant difference.
Her punishment clearly outweighs her crime. This case also gives me a new perspective on arguments about parent choice in schooling.
