Teen sues her parents for refusing to pay her university fees...

[Kagato]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news...ectid=11214260

There isn't enough facepalm in the GALAXY to reflect the epic level of FAIL behind this... this just reeks of selfishness. -.-'

"We're being sued by our child," Sean Canning, a former police chief, said. "I'm dumbfounded, so is my wife, so are my other daughters."

[bhskittykatt]

Can someone explain to me how she can be declared non-emancipated? She's 18; she's legally an adult, no? If she wants to move out, that's her choice. Her parents aren't legally obligated to provide for her anymore.

She's lucky she has a place to stay. I had classmates in high school who were kicked out not by their own choice when they turned 18 and became "invisible homeless", basically moving from friend's couch to friend's couch until they could afford a place of their own.

[eltf177]

I have _no_ clue as to what she expects to get out of this, except alienating her parents further. And somehow I don't see the University of Vermont welcoming her with open arms now...

[cleorose]

LOL

I have an 11 year old and 9 year old, I see doing this crap if things don't change. They fight me on chores and bedtime. I tell them every day . When you pay the bills you make the rules. Til then STFO and be grateful. I grew up in foster care and had none of what you got. I am tempted to make them endure life as I did. 2 barbies, some board games, some books, and a deck of cards. Good bye video games hello imagination.

The court will probably make her parents pay for her private high school education bill. They owe that. But the university fees and the housing costs. Yeah I don't think so.

At 18 if you leave your parents home cause you don't like their rules, its called WELCOME TO BEING AN ADULT. IT WILL SUCK ALOT TIL YOUR DEAD.

[NecessaryCatharsis]

I wish I would have thought of this, many moons ago I was accepted to a really excellent university program, but, living on my own for the last 2 years of high school I couldn't afford it, my parents refused to pay for any of it, my parents made too much money for me to qualify for OSAP, and my parents wouldn't sign off stating that I wasn't living with them and they would not contribute, which would have qualified me on my own merits (abject poverty) .

I'm not sure how education works in the states but if her parents aren't willing to pay (because she won't follow their rules) at least this court case would be proof that they won't, and on her own income levels she may qualify for assistance of some sort.

[mathnerd]

While on the surface this seems ridiculous, I can see where something like this might be a publicity stunt to draw attention to some very harmful laws in regards to student aid.

When applying for federal student aid in the US, you must provide your parents' financial information unless you meet one of several exception factors. They are:

-Being 24 years old or older
-Being Married (if you're under 24, you've been married, but are now divorced, you don't meet this exception)
-Have a child
-Be a veteran of the US Military
-Working on graduate studies or a second bachelor's degree
-Had been declared an emancipated minor prior to turning 18 years old.

So, if you're 18, on your own and can't get your parents to provide their financial information, or if you can but they make too much for you to qualify for aid, and they still refuse to help, you're screwed.

Can someone explain to me how she can be declared non-emancipated? She's 18; she's legally an adult, no?

I interpreted that to mean that the girl did not qualify for the last exception.

[csquared]

She lost her bid for child support.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/03/04...cmp=latestnews
The rest of the case is set for April 22.

[Kagato]

I'm not sure how education works in the states but if her parents aren't willing to pay (because she won't follow their rules) at least this court case would be proof that they won't, and on her own income levels she may qualify for assistance of some sort.

The thing is they WERE willing to support her, the article mentions they have a college fund set up, but why on EARTH should she be given a single cent when she is legally recognised as an adult, but refuses to abide by the 'conditions' that have been set for her (and they are a damn sight lighter than what my parents required of me when I was around her age!)

[NecessaryCatharsis]

but why on EARTH should she be given a single cent when she is legally recognised as an adult

I just read mathnerds comments and it seems in the states it doesn't matter if they refuse to help, you still can't qualify for financial aid on your own financial situation. I don't think the parents should have to pay if they don't want to, it is their own money and an 18 year old who doesn't want to fall in line can make it or break it on their own. However as a legal adult, who is responsible for herself she should be considered for financial aid the same way a 24 year old or married 18 year old would be. I had thought that might be the point of the case.

(Or she could just be a spoiled brat, it is hard to say from the evidence at hand)

[mathnerd]

I've read a couple articles, and the girl is still in high school, and some of what she's suing for is the private school tuition to finish out her senior year. What I posted above may or may not be relevant, but I welcome any case that can open a discussion on some serious flaws in the US student aid system. Of course, those rules were put in place for a reason, which was to curtail people from abusing the system, but it went too far.

Another point is that there *is* a dependency override option, but many college financial aid administrators don't know about it or won't use it. The mountain of paperwork is overwhelming and it's unreasonably difficult to get approved anyway.

But, back to the case at hand. It seems the parents' solution to a child who was getting more and more rebellious was simply to kick her out as soon as she turned 18. I'm pretty sure that if I was able to gain access to *all* the details I'd say that they're all being stupid; parents and child alike.

[iradney]

Any discussion about the flaws/abuse/what should be done about the aid system can go to Fratching, thank you.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Don't know what's going on with the high school tuition, but a college education is not a right, and unless she has some written agreement from her parents to fund her college education, I don't think she has a case.

[mathnerd]

My apologies, iradney, once again, my math brain gets in the way of fully expressing what I meant to say. I did not mean that the discussion would be here, but in the grand scheme of things, in social context, with my friends, in the various government branches, etc, if a case like this exposes flaws and gets people talking, then I can't bash it too much. I hope that makes more sense.

[cleorose]

My personal opinion is she deserves to have her high school education bill paid. Since that was her parents' doing in the first place. As for the rest she isn't entitled to it.

I have read several more articles on the subject and this is what I found.
She is a rebellious teen. She has been suspended from school, missed curfew and gotten in trouble for bullying her sister.
She was asked to be more respectful, help with chores, be home at a reasonable hour (midnight according to her father) and dump the boy who they felt was a bad influence on her.

It came down to her leaving him, or moving out. She CHOSE to move out. She did not get kicked out. She went and decided to live with her Best Friend's parents. They are footing the bill for the lawyer and they are lawyers themselves. So they are suing for legal fees in addition to everything else.

She was suing for a weekly allowance, living expenses, transportation expenses and to have a past bill paid and the college tuition paid.

The fact that she chose to leave after the age of majority according to most state statutes she forfeits any RIGHT to their support. Most states would have enforced support up to the age of 21 or 22 if she was in school. The court found that she was not entitled to any of her expenses nor to the tuition bill for the high school.

Her parents btw also took back the car they had bought for her. They said since they paid for gas, insurance and and the payment it was their car. I agree.

The college tuition is complicated. Its not them just saying I will pay for you to go to school and then renegging. In most states when a parent sets up a 529 or a college fund and puts money into it, It is according to the statutes I read, a contract to pay. They may not have to pay anything BEYOND that amount but the money in the account which I think I read was like 25k is hers. Now her parents can and should put a stipulation that money will be paid to the school not to her.

This girl is an ungrateful spoiled child who suffers from that entitle syndrome. If you look at her facebook, you can see that she has a job at TGIFridays. She hasn't work there even six months. (started in november after she left her parents home ) My guess is she is getting a taste of real life and it sucks.

[eltf177]

http://www.today.com/moms/judge-deni...ney-2D79321954

Well, she lost round one. And I _love_ this quote:

"Nearly everyone found the lawsuit frivolous, with numerous people describing the teenager as a 'spoiled brat.' One person responded with only a picture of Veruca Salt, the pampered, overindulged girl from the movie, 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.'”