An Ohio mom has been convicted and sent to jail for lying about her address so she could send her daughters to a better neighboring school district. School officials said she was cheating the system by having her daughters receive an education she hadn’t paid the taxes for. “Those dollars need to stay home with our students,” said school officials. To snare her, the school hired a private investigator, who videotaped her driving the children into the district.

They confronted her with the video tape and demanded that she pay $30,000 in back tuition. She refused and they pressed charges. She was sentenced last week to 10 days in jail, three years of probation, and additional community service.

The school district admitted they wanted to make an example of her. Presiding Judge Patricia Cosgrove said, “I felt that some punishment or deterrent was needed for other individuals who might think to defraud the various school districts.”

Ohio Mom Jailed for Sending Kids to Better School District [ABC News]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.