Mother sentenced to jail time for sending her kids to out-of-district school

Kelly Williams-Bolar, a resident of Akron, Ohio's housing projects, was sentenced to 10 days in jail and 3 years probation. What crime did she commit?

She sent her two children to schools that were not within their designated school district. It is reported that Williams-Bolar made it seem like the kids lived with her father, who resides in neighboring Copley Township.

"The jury deliberated for seven hours and the courtroom was packed as the sentence was handed down. She was convicted on two counts of tampering with court records after registering her two girls as living with Williams Bolar’s father when they actually lived with her."

To make matters worse for this family, the girl's grandfather was essentially charged with stealing tuition:

"Edward L. Williams, was charged with a fourth-degree felony of grand theft, in which he and his daughter are charged with defrauding the school system for two years of educational services for their girls. The court determined that sending their children to the wrong school was worth $30,500 in tuition."

This estimation amounts to $7,652 per year, per child. For public school education.

The case raises quite a few questions:

Was the court trying to make an example out of Williams-Bolar to discourage other parents?

What are school district's in poorer neighborhoods doing to combat violence and bullying, which --like the case of Chicago's Fenger High School student-- can be deadly?

What action is being taken for the public school that is so bad it is driving parents to commit fraud and grand theft to get their children out of there?

And of course - if you come from a family with less resources, what options do you have to move up in America?

How did they verify that the children did not, in fact, live with their grandfather?

They did break the rules - but was this sentence too harsh?