Police Investigate Student Over Fake 2 Dollar Bill

Danesiah Neal, 14, an eighth grader at Christa McAuliffe Middle School, was recently investigated by police after school officials accused her of using fake money to buy lunch. This happened when Danesiah was 13.

She told KTRK, "I went to the lunch line, and they said my $2 bill was fake. They gave it to the police. Then they sent me to the police office. A police officer said I could be in big trouble."

Sharon Kay Joseph, Danesiah's grandmother, had given her the $2 bill. Joseph remembered being asked, "'Did you give Danesiah a $2 bill for lunch?' He told me it was fake."

The investigation led Fort Bend Independent School District police to a local convenience store that reportedly gave the $2 bill to Joseph. Officers then visited a bank, where the 1953-issued bill was examined and determined to be real.

Joseph continued, "He brought me my $2 bill back. He didn’t apologize. He should have, and the school should have because they pulled Danesiah out of lunch, and she didn’t eat lunch that day because they took her money."

Joseph added, "It was very outrageous for them to do it. There was no need for police involvement. They’re charging kids like they’re adults now." During the 2013-2014 school year, 40 similar cases were reported from three Houston-area school districts. All 40 kids investigated were minority students.

Attorney Mani Nezami said, "We see a disproportionate impact on minority youth when it comes to these charges. African-American and Hispanic boys in particular, but girls as well, tend to be overcriminalized for offenses that one might speculate if they weren't, they wouldn't be seeing a criminal charge."

Photo: Daily Mail