Kids building snow fort on school grounds face jail time

[GCP]

I kid you not.

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=97716

FRAMINGHAM -- Two Framingham High seniors arrested in January after they were ordered off high school property because they were building a snow fort were found guilty yesterday of trespassing.
Jenna Schroeder and Jason Osorio, both 18, now face a maximum of 30 days in jail after the two-day trial in Framingham District Court. The jury of three men and three women deliberated for about three hours before they reached a verdict.
Judge Douglas Stoddart will sentence the pair May 16. Although punishable by a maximum of 30 days in jail, according to Massachusetts General Law, an offender can also face a fine less than $100 and probation.

snip

"The pair were arrested Jan. 25 when police ordered them to leave the high school grounds while they were building a fort in a large pile of snow. The school was closed for the day due to the weather.
The teens claimed they were about to leave when they were arrested. Police said the pair were uncooperative and refused to leave after repeated requests. "

On reading the article, it sounds like the kids may have been uncooperative, then the girl had the temerity to ask for the police officer's name and number - the little trouble-maker, :sarcasm: but frikkin' jail-time for this??

And this is so-called liberal Massachusetts. At least they weren't tasered. :grr:

[bluestateguy]

1. Moron jurors

They should have deliberated for five minutes, came back into court, and then reprimanded the prosecution for pressing charges before returning a not guilty verdict.

[tk2kewl]

2. since when is it tresspassing to be on public property

[Ian David]

4. It becomes trespassing when you refuse orders to leave

And school grounds are completely public.

Otherwise you could have homeless guys camped-out on the playground.

[madmom]

3. was this a public school?...

which means public property why would they have to leave? I could understand if school was in session and they were not students there but school was canceled because of weather. What were they doing that was against the law?

[NorthernSpy]

5. Framingham: home of the Massachusetts Correctional Institute

Gotta get as many of those budding criminals into the system as possible, I guess. Wouldn't wanna run out!

[Dervill Crow]

6. Scary.

My kids go to the elementary school regularly to shoot hoops, and never in my wildest dreams have I considered that they could get in trouble, much less arrested, for that.

Man, the horrible things kids do these days. Building a snow fort. Talk about criminal behavior!

[woodsprite]

7. Might want to change the way you do things

Around here, it can be considered trespassing. Some schools actually have a locked gate on their playground to keep kids off (liability). There is one school whose playground is open to the town during non-school hours. They have signs up EVERYWHERE about "Play at your own risk" "not responsible for injury", etc.

[rodeodance]

8. moral of storty--be docile, hang your head and walk away.