Does an Ex-PTA Treasurer Accused of Stealing School Funds for Fertility Treatments Deserve Jail Time?
Is there ever a time or a reason when stealing from kids is OK?
Stealing is never right, right? And stealing from kids is even more wrong, right?
Then why do I feel a teensy bit bad for the ex-PTA treasurer accused of stealing up to $100,000 from a Brooklyn elementary school so she could pay for fertility treatments, among other expenses?
Before I found out that a clotting disorder I didn’t know I had caused three miscarriages, I starting poking around for information about fertility treatments like Clomid and in vitro fertilization. When I learned IVF can cost up to $25,000 a pop and no insurance company in my state covers it, I sat down and wept. Had there been a bank with its vault wide open and a Welcome doormat at that moment, I’m not sure what I would have done.
Providence Hogan, 44, might have felt the same way. She acted as the treasurer for a parent teacher association at Public School 29 in Cobble Hill, and has been charged with swindling money raised for the kids. If convicted of the top charge against her of grand larceny, Hogan would be looking at up to 15 years in prison, although she could avoid jail time entirely if she returns the money in full.
“The PTA is focused on the return of the stolen money,” said a lawyer from the firm representing the parent group pro bono to the New York Daily News. “A full and timely restitution will be a condition to any plea.”
I can’t think of a worse lesson for kids than to point to someone working on their behalf who stole money meant for them. But if she really did use money for fertility treatments, my heart softens a little (although reading she also used some of the money to pay rent for her spa business make me feel a little less bad for her).
It’s a terrible feeling to want a child and think that money is what’s standing in your way. But stealing from kids to have a kid clearly wasn’t the wisest choice.
Do you feel any less bad about this case knowing what the money was being used for?
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I don’t care if she did it to buy bread for her kids it’s still wrong and she still deserves a full punishment.
I understand that infertility can be heartbreaking, but in my mind someone who steals that much money from her own child’s school isn’t someone who ought to having children at all. And I think they’re being more than fair by offering to waive jail time if she returns the cash. If not jail’s definitely appropriate. $100,000 isn’t petty theft.
Yes, she desrves jail time
No, I don’t. The woman stole money. She stole money from a school. I agree with Angela.
The end does not justify the means. She stole the money, the reasons are ancillary.
“Then why do I feel a teensy bit bad for the ex-PTA treasurer accused of stealing up to $100,000 from a Brooklyn elementary school so she could pay for fertility treatments, among other expenses?”
Same reason you felt sorry for that a-hole dad who allegedly stole money for his kids’ college: you don’t have a strong sense of morality.
This is not a violent crime. Yes, she should be penalized and made good use of by her community, but jail time is a huge waste of money and space. Using jail as a punishment does not actually work as a deterrent to crime. It should be used only to contain those who pose a violent threat to the rest of us.
Actually, Gagagolly, I believe it’s called “having a sense of compassion.” She can feel a little bit bad for the woman because she understands her position, while still understanding that the behavior is wrong and criminal and that consequences need to be dealt. It’s what people do all the time. It has nothing to do with morality and everything to do with feeling sympathy or empathy with someone. Perhaps if you had more of a sense of compassion for others you would understand this.
No, I don’t feel less bad about the case because she wanted to have a child and wanted the kids to pay for it. Like Angela said, with that kind of mentality, she shouldn’t be having kids.
@Gagagolly — Don’t be shy; tell me how you really feel about me.
Not in the least and if you saw her around the neighborhood, you would feel even less sad because she has shown zero signs of remorse and it is only now that she may face jail time that she has offered restitution. I think she should go to jail.
She’s probably nasty to begin with (proven by her stealing from a school!) and so God is not blessing her with children. It’s not rocket science!
I just know that our PTA works incredibly hard in order to raise money to send every child in the school to camp twice a year, to fund foreign language and music instruction, and to sponsor community events. I’d be heartbroken if someone had embezzled all that money and stolen that from our kids. I don’t understand why there’s even a question about whether or not jail time is appropriate.
There is no excuse for what she has done. I struggled with infertility for 12 years and paid for all treatments as I could afford them. My husband & I even moved to a state that mandates in-vitro coverage because we could not afford it in our home state. Although infertility is one of the most heartbreaking things a person can go through, it is not an excuse to commit a heinous crime.
As the mother of a child at PS29 I can tell you that there has been a great deal of compassion for her daughter…that’s right, her daughter still attends the school. Yes, infertility is heartbreaking but it’s not like she wasn’t able to experience the joy of being a mother…she has a DAUGHTER.
So, as I said the compassion of the community is for her child but very little for her. Very few of the parents I’ve spoken to want her to spend 15 years in jail and getting the money back is the primary concern. That said, I can’t speak for the entire PS29 community but I feel there should be some additional punishment–be it community service or jail time.