Texas Student Gets $637 Fine for Swearing

By: Kevin Hayes
Topics: Daily Blotter

(CBS/Wikipedia)

(CBS/AP) $637 is a lot to fit into a swear jar.

Victoria Mullins, a suburban Dallas teenager, has had to take on a waitressing job to pay $637 after being ticketed for using bad language in a high school classroom.

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Court records show that teacher Michelle Lene heard Victoria Mullins say "you trying to start [expletive]!" loudly in class one day last October.

She was sent to the principal's office and given lunch detention. The next day, the school resource officer presented the North Mesquite High School student a ticket.

The Dallas Morning News reports that the original fine, for disorderly conduct/abusive language, was $340, but other charges were added, including failure to show for a hearing.

The complaint said Lene was offended, and that Mullins' language was a breach of the peace.

Mullins acknowledges she was wrong, but says she said it to "a kid who is really obnoxious, starts stuff with everyone and always gets on my nerves was bothering me," reports the paper.

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by loulou165 April 4, 2011 3:03 PM EDT: It is absolutely ridiculous. I also live in the Dallas area and my son was sent to the office for cussing and disrupting class (he has ADHD, LD, and behaviorial issues which is why he is in a special class in the first place). He received punishment at school (out of school suspension for 3 days, alternative school for 5 days), punishment at home (no electronic equipment, grounding for 2 weeks and special chores to complete), and on top of it he received a ticket from the school resource office. How many punishments does this child need for one behavior?? Went to court on March 24 and the judge was even pi&&ed about the school giving him a ticket and putting more work on his docket. He also felt it was unnecessary. My son received community service. I feel that the school is going way over the line. I am not condoning my kid's behavior in the least, but again, how many punishments does one need for one "crime"? And just to fill in the backstory...my son cussed at another student because he was upset that the student was continuously calling him stupid and dumb and retarded and nothing was being done about it by the teacher.; Reply to this comment


by ariz_1944 April 3, 2011 8:52 AM EDT: SINCE WHEN ARE TEACHERS "SPEACH POLICE"?? GLAD THIS TEACHER HAS NEVER BEEN ON A CONSTRUCTION SITE!! THE FINE WOULD BE IN THE MILLIONS!!! ROFLMFAO!!!; Reply to this comment


by grnlachick February 2, 2011 4:18 PM EST: since when do we start ticketing students for bad language. And how come no one listened to her side of the story first? sounds like that school administration has issues.; Reply to this comment


by VA_Jill February 1, 2011 3:18 PM EST: This is ridiculous. Reprimand, maybe. But a fine? Give me a break! Oh well, it's Texas.; Reply to this comment


by JMMCKINNEY February 1, 2011 10:06 AM EST: WOW!! It's refreshing to see this school getting back to teaching the kids more than just what comes in a book,or a test here in the last few years,And I must say it is about time,some kids don't get any discipline at home,,much less guidance on morals.Maybe if more schools would follow suit;then maybe we would have lower crime rates involving teens,and young americans,and way less school vilence.It has nothing to do with the US Constitution;it's about teaching kids what they need to know.With that said I do think the amount was over the limit,and it fails to state what other charges was involved,But if she had already served detention for the offense,that should have been all that was required.The judicial system has laws about being tried twice for the same crime.; Reply to this comment


by nortonew February 1, 2011 9:57 AM EST: She should sue the school for violating her constitutional right to free speech. I hope she does and wins a huge settlement. The school admins should be jailed for this king of violation of people's rights.; Reply to this comment


by amerilatino February 1, 2011 9:28 AM EST: What ever happened to 'watch your tongue'? Self-righteous Southern fundamentalist thumperism has always held this country back and now is threatening to eat this country up from the bible-belt outward, it will erode the thick-skinned spirit of freedom of expression that the U.S. is famous for and it will bring forth a dark age of historic and educational revisionism that will set us back 200 years, if we let it. The Texas School Book Board has already taken it upon itself to wage a fundamentalist jihad on science and history books, what next???; Reply to this comment


by OmegaWolf747 February 1, 2011 8:32 AM EST: Free speech is a right under the Constitution. There is no right to not be offended.; Reply to this comment


by MalloryDavis February 1, 2011 1:44 AM EST: This $@#^ makes me want to #$%& all over! Isn't it $%*^#%& wonderful that there are so many *&%&*%*^% purists out there leading our children and us to a better understanding? These are just words and protected. If I'm not mistaken schools are exempt from freedom of speech as a Supreme Court verdict was returned as such a while ago.

@#$% the #$&#^*$$^%!!!! Get out of our #$^#^&% lives. Let us raise our own kids.; Reply to this comment


by BlueSilverStars February 1, 2011 12:07 AM EST: Okay, this is messed up. If the kid was going to get fined at all, it should have been some small amount like a dollar, or five bucks or something. But a 637 dollar fine is uncalled for.; Reply to this comment