No Dismissal for Homeless Mom Case

Charges were not dropped on Tuesday against a homeless mother accused of stealing education for her young son.

Tanya McDowell is accused of stealing public educational services by claiming her son lived at her baby sitter's address in Norwalk and enrolling him in kindergarten at Brookside Elementary. When she was in court on Tuesday to face the larceny charge, a Superior Court judge denied a defense request to dismiss charges and said the request should come at trial.

The hearing happened hours before civil rights leader, The Rev. Al Sharpton, is to speak at a rally for equal education.

Sharpton will be the keynote speaker at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's Equal Education for All Rally as part of National Action Network's continued national drive to encourage all young people to pursue educational excellence and for towns to have open access to students for quality education. 

Reports said he would be in Connecticut in support of McDowell, but that is not the case, according to Reverend Al Sharpton Media.

"Contrary to several reports, National Action Network, nor Rev. Sharpton, are coming to Connecticut in response to the case of Tanya McDowell because we have not investigated or looked into the matter extensively. We will receive information from the state NAACP pertaining their involvement but until we review it, Rev. Sharpton, nor any other NAN official will address this case without having full knowledge of the particulars."

McDowell was living in her car and shelters and staying at a friend’s home in Bridgeport and Norwalk officials said her should have been enrolled in Bridgeport schools, her most recent address.

She gained national attention after being arrested this spring. She pleaded not guilty to a larceny charge in the case and is due back in court on July 12.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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