This afternoon I called my friend and leading public policy theoretician, Thomas Catlaw, to ask him what term would apply to public acts (i.e., those of government or nonprofits) that have the intended and actual consequences of undoing the intended and actual consequences of other public acts.  Tom suggested “perverse consequences,” which is a type of unintended consequences posited by sociologist Robert Merton in his paper, The Unanticipated Consequences of Purposive Social Action.  A “perverse effect” is an effect opposite of what a public act intended.

Neither of us is completely satisfied saying that what happened today in Ohio is a “perverse effect,” but it certainly is perverted.

Today in Ohio a mother was handed a felony conviction and sentenced to prison for enrolling her children in a better school district.  You can read about it here.

Kelley Williams-Bolar used the address of her father, her children’s grandfather, to register her children for school.  Ms. Williams-Bolar’s children live with their grandfather because Ms. Williams-Bolar’s own subsidized housing is not safe.

The school district of Ms. Williams-Bolar’s subsidized housing only meets four of the 26 standards Ohio sets for its school districts.  The better school district, Copley-Fairlawn, is proud of the fact that it meets all 26 standards and has a 97.5% graduation rate.

Ms. Williams-Bolar was working as a teacher’s aide and was 12 credits away from earning a teaching degree.  This felony conviction will prevent her from ever being a licensed teacher in Ohio.

This public act of prosecuting Ms. Williams-Bolar, spearheaded by Copley-Fairlawn Superintendent, Brian Poe, will have the intended and actual consequences of undoing the intended and actual consequences of the following public acts underway in Ohio:

• Incentives to become a teacher in Ohio and fill teacher shortages
• Programs to help adults earn degrees
• Programs to find adults permanent employment
• Initiatives to help families leave public assistance
• Programs to promote multigenerational mentoring, learning and parenting
• Initiatives to motivate parents to become more active in the education of their children
• Many, many more

I care about kids, especially kids like those of Ms. Williams-Bolar, and this perversion confuses and enrages me.  If you feel the same way, please write Superintendent Poe at Brian.Poe@Copley-Fairlawn.org and let him know how you feel about spending public money to undo the present and future benefits of other public investments.

I also recommend that you read Dr. Catlaw’s book, Fabricating the People, about public policy in our modern society.  You can buy it here.