black girl doing homework

Teenage girl jailed after not doing homework ordered released

A girl placed in a detention center after she failed to complete her homework was ordered released Friday by Michigan's Court of Appeals.

The 15-year-old known only by her middle name, Grace, has been at the center in Oakland County since mid-May after her failure to finish homework triggered a review of her probation by a family court judge.

The girl, who is Black, was placed on probation after allegations last year of assault against her mother and theft. Her case, first reported by ProPublica , became a cause for those who say Black people are treated unfairly under the justice system.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., said on MSNBC July 20, "If it was a white young person, I really question whether the judge would have done this."

The judge in the case argued that homework was just the tip of the iceberg.

"She was not detained because she didn't turn her homework in," Oakland County family court Judge Mary Ellen Brennan said, according to ProPublica. "She was detained because I found her to be a threat of harm to her mother based on everything I knew."

On Friday, a three-judge panel granted an emergency request to have Grace released.

"The juvenile respondent is ordered immediately released from detention to the custody of her mother pending appeal or further order of this Court," the appeals panel stated.

Grace attends Groves High School in Beverly Hills, Michigan, where distance learning was in effect because of the pandemic.

Parents and students in the suburban Detroit community have demonstrated in support of Grace's release. Oakland County Executive David Coulter said in a statement recently that the case should be reviewed and that fewer people should be detained during the pandemic.

Dingell on Friday called the appeals court ruling "great news."

"But we can’t forget Grace is just one case in our broken criminal justice system," she tweeted . "Let this case shine a light and raise awareness of the work we still need to do."

Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.

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Sign up for essence newsletters the keep the black women at the forefront of conversation., a teenage girl was jailed for not doing homework, a michigan judge denied her release.

Back in May, a 15-year-old Black girl was incarcerated in juvenile detention , allegedly for violating her probation for failing to submit online schoolwork.

Now that girl, identified as “Grace,” will remain incarcerated in Michigan after Oakland County Judge Mary Ellen Brennan declined her request for early release and scheduled another hearing for September, according to Click on Detroit.

The Detroit News reports that Grace was on probation for assault and theft charges related to a confrontation with her mother in November.

Brennan framed the separation as being good for the young teen.

“Give yourself a chance to follow through and finish something,” Brennan said. “The right thing is for you and your mom to be separated for right now.”

“She was not detained because she didn’t turn her homework in,” the judge emphasized. “She was detained because she was a threat to her mother.”

Before Brennan handed down her decision, she allowed Grace to speak. The teen said that she wanted to go home, noting, “I can control myself. I can be obedient.”

“I miss my mom,” the 15-year-old added.

Grace’s story drew attention and widespread criticism after ProPublica released a report about her case, particularly due to the criminalization of Black children.

“I miss my mom. I can control myself. I can be obedient,” the 15-year-old known as Grace said during her Monday hearing. Black youth in Michigan are more than four times as likely to be detained or committed than white youth. #mileg https://t.co/0S8GyOVMol — Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) July 21, 2020

Despite the outrage, Brennan defended her decision.

“My role is to make decisions that are in this young lady’s best interest, period,” she said. “I took an oath that I would not be swayed by public clamor or fear of criticism.”

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