Anonymous wrote:So what it private property or HOA property. Special needs kid aside, because the 11 and 14 yr old probably didn’t know who personally made the free library if it was on HOA property. It is the equivalent of a teen knocking over a mailbox. Which is vandalism and wrong, but it isn’t some heinous act deserving to be banned from something for several years. I’m sure a large portion of their HOA fee goes toward pool maintenance and usage. I don’t see how they can legally keep that money and not allow them to utilize services for 7 years.

I had a neighbor who played mailbox baseball with some friends as a teen, turns out it was a federal offense that the government took very seriously. There was a court case, lawyers, and all sorts of fun. I believe it resolved in a plea bargain with a hefty fine and lots of community service. Don’t mess with mailboxes.

Anonymous wrote:The mom mentioned in this piece has a lot of news stories about her. Just google her name and "Virginia." She craves media attention. I think something is off with her, and she seems to be willing to use her children as a means of getting attention.

Or the kids are so poorly behaved and she has so much denial that she constantly takes it to the public eye.

Anonymous wrote:Lots of hateful old farts posting today. I wonder if they were thrown in jail for all of the criminal acts they committed back in the day?

I didn't do anything criminal, nor did I hang out with those who did. I wasn't an angel by any means, but there's a huge difference between criminal and brat.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty effective punishment and a good deterrent to others. I wish our HOA was like this. No one wants entitled little sh1ts spoiling the vibes of a community. Everyone cares about their property values.

Yeah!

LOCK THEM UP! LOCK THEM UP!

even the 4th grader

An 11yo is a rising 6th grader.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone notice they were banned from the private pool and the park but their offense was to the public library? Another case of privileged children not getting a record or facing consequences.

I remember when we found out Sarah Palin's son had slashed the tired of school buses on school property in high school, wasn't arrested or punished, then what do you know - 5 years later as an adult he's attacking his father with a gun and has multiple arrest records.

This was one of the little libraries, the glorified box on a post. And it sounds like it was in the neighborhood, likely put up and/or maintained by the HOA.

It was actually put up by an individual, and I guess on HOA property? Someone on Reddit said they live in that neighborhood, and that the individual that originally put it up (a boy with Down Syndrome) was the one to fix it up and put new books in it.
Even though the HOA fined the families of the boys who destroyed it, according to the Reddit user the HOA did not reimburse the boy for the new materials he used to fix it up.
Despicable.

Anonymous wrote:Anyone notice they were banned from the private pool and the park but their offense was to the public library? Another case of privileged children not getting a record or facing consequences.

I remember when we found out Sarah Palin's son had slashed the tired of school buses on school property in high school, wasn't arrested or punished, then what do you know - 5 years later as an adult he's attacking his father with a gun and has multiple arrest records.

This was one of the little libraries, the glorified box on a post. And it sounds like it was in the neighborhood, likely put up and/or maintained by the HOA.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems a bit much if that’s all they did. They should have had the boys rebuild the library and put it back in place. And then replenish the book supply. Maybe a two week ban from the pool but seven years for destroying a little free library? Dumb.

I agree. And frankly I think it's pretty gross that one of the HOA members is on here crowing up the "good buzz" the neighborhood has going on now that they destroyed this child. Yes, destroyed. The HOA has basically shunned a child from the neighborhood until he is a legal adult. That's not a learning experience, and it offers zero opportunity for him to redeem himself or to become a welcome, productive member of that community.

Bullies.

I don't believe any HOA is in the business of nor do they have a right to providing learning experiences, that is for the parents. What any HOA has to do is make sure their governors safeguard the property of the HOA and its residents.

Anonymous wrote:My son is 37 years old, so I don't have to worry about him acting like these children did anymore, but if he did when he was a teen, he would still be banned by me as his parent. This type of behavior is unacceptable, and children need to understand there are consequences for their misdeeds. It appears that the parents don't understand sufficient parenting skills, because they want to blame others for the punishment that should only be felt by these children and their parents. Enough already! We need a country that is raising responsible and accountable children.

For 7 years?
And you realize this isn't just the pool they have banned the child from, but ALL HOA property? The playgrounds, the tennis courts, the parking lots? The community throws various celebrations throughout the year, like a fall festival, cookies with Santa, etc. and he is banned from that for the rest of his childhood.
You really don't think that is excessive?

My son is 37 years old, so I don't have to worry about him acting like these children did anymore, but if he did when he was a teen, he would still be banned by me as his parent. This type of behavior is unacceptable, and children need to understand there are consequences for their misdeeds. It appears that the parents don't understand sufficient parenting skills, because they want to blame others for the punishment that should only be felt by these children and their parents. Enough already! We need a country that is raising responsible and accountable children.

Anonymous wrote:It seems a bit much if that’s all they did. They should have had the boys rebuild the library and put it back in place. And then replenish the book supply. Maybe a two week ban from the pool but seven years for destroying a little free library? Dumb.

I agree. And frankly I think it's pretty gross that one of the HOA members is on here crowing up the "good buzz" the neighborhood has going on now that they destroyed this child. Yes, destroyed. The HOA has basically shunned a child from the neighborhood until he is a legal adult. That's not a learning experience, and it offers zero opportunity for him to redeem himself or to become a welcome, productive member of that community.

Bullies.

It seems a bit much if that’s all they did. They should have had the boys rebuild the library and put it back in place. And then replenish the book supply. Maybe a two week ban from the pool but seven years for destroying a little free library? Dumb.

Anonymous wrote:pp with the background info: you’re a real jerk for posting an 11 year old’s full name, no matter what a miscreant he is.

Huh? They posted the parents' names, not the kids.

Anonymous wrote:pp with the background info: you’re a real jerk for posting an 11 year old’s full name, no matter what a miscreant he is.

Nobody posted the full name of the child. Reread the post, the name David Verhagen is the father, not the child. An apology would be nice.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:pp with the background info: you’re a real jerk for posting an 11 year old’s full name, no matter what a miscreant he is.

I'm not the pp you are addressing, but that's the 11 year old's father's name, not the kid.

Yes, and the father's name was already in the original linked article because the parents went to the press about the matter.

Anonymous wrote:pp with the background info: you’re a real jerk for posting an 11 year old’s full name, no matter what a miscreant he is.

I'm not the pp you are addressing, but that's the 11 year old's father's name, not the kid.