Just over a decade ago, Kelley Williams-Bolar made a decision that would forever alter her family’s life. She used her father’s address to enroll her daughters in a school 15 minutes away from their home in Akron, Ohio. The result? A 10-day jail sentence and three years of probation. Her father, too, was jailed and tragically never made it out alive.
This story is not unique. Across the nation, parents are resorting to address sharing, a practice where they enroll their children in schools outside their geographic boundary using a different address. It’s a phenomenon that raises profound questions about equity, legality, and the very nature of public education in America.
A Common but Controversial Practice
Address sharing is widespread, cutting across geographic communities, racial groups, and income levels. But why are families taking such risks?
Public schools are often funded by property taxes, leading to disparities in resources and quality. For families unable to afford homes in well-funded school districts, address sharing becomes a way to access better education.
“Some families see it as their only option,” says Tim DeRoche of the education watchdog nonprofit Available to All. “Almost everybody knows somebody who’s done this.”
The Legal Landscape
In most states, address sharing is considered a form of theft. Prosecutions remain rare but are on the rise, with an uptick in families being “targeted and harassed” by suspicious school districts.
Connecticut stands alone as the only state that explicitly decriminalizes the practice. Elsewhere, the consequences can be severe, disproportionately affecting families of color.
The Ethical Dilemma
The practice of address sharing raises complex ethical questions. Is it a crime to seek better opportunities for one’s children, or is it a symptom of a deeply flawed education system?
“Some argue that it’s about access to high-quality public schools as a right,” the report notes. Others see it as a misuse of resources funded by a tax base the family isn’t part of.
Seeking Solutions
As the debate rages on, some districts are adopting reforms like open enrollment policies or allowing seats for out-of-district students. Others advocate for laws that actively decriminalize the practice.
“I just don’t think that education is a commodity with a dollar value,” says report co-author Hailly Korman. “Districts don’t own those seats.”
A National Conversation
The story of Kelley Williams-Bolar and others like her is more than a legal issue; it’s a reflection of the broader challenges facing American education.
As families navigate a system marked by inequality and limited choices, the practice of address sharing serves as both a desperate measure and a stark symbol of a system in need of reform.
The question remains: Is criminalizing address sharing the solution, or does it merely mask the deeper inequities at the heart of American education? The answer may require a rethinking of how we fund, structure, and value public education in our nation.
MSN. (August 8, 2023). Use a different address for your kid’s school placement? In some states you’ve committed a crime. Retrieved from https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/use-a-different-address-for-your-kid-s-school-placement-in-some-states-you-ve-committed-a-crime/ar-AA1eXEfA?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=b72872c0d10c4ad3a8fc5f17d3b1a681&ei=16