An American tragedy for Key West and all concerned comes to an end this morning.
In a courtroom. A criminal one.
Marjorie Acevedo will plead guilty or no contest to charges that she stole in excess of $400,000.
Marjorie is in her early 40s. She was employed by the Monroe County School District at the time of her alleged crimes. She was the head of the District’s Adult Education Program.
Her husband was and still is Randy Acevedo. He was the elected Superintendent of the Monroe County School District at the time of his wife’s alleged wrongdoing.
Marjorie and Randy have three children. Ages 17 to 21.
The School District provided Marjorie with a credit card for School District purchases. Marjorie allegedly used the credit card to purchase clothes for her husband, dog food, patio furniture and other personal items. Quite a few items to run up a $400,000 tab!
It was also claimed along the way that she allegedly misappropriated a class’ bake sale funds.
Her husband Randy, the School Superintendent, was charged also arising out of her alleged wrongdoing. He opted to go to trial. Randy was convicted of three felonies. For whatever reason, he did not do time. He received a suspended sentence and probation.
Key West and Monroe County are curious as to what sentence Marjorie will receive this morning. Will she walk as her husband did? Will she receive a severe sentence? Will she receive a light sentence? Will justice be done?
The prosecution says Marjorie should do 10 years in jail and then 20 years probation. Heavy!
The Judge has much on his plate this morning in arriving at his sentencing decision. It is solely up to him in the final analysis.
My concern has always been the students. These are children in their formative years. What example has Marjorie set for them? What impact did Randy’s no jail time have on crime and punishment for them? What will Marjorie’s sentence today say to them?
Marjorie is part of the boomer generation we read about so much today. The generation that believes they are entitled to everything. Their hands are always out. They take. Properly and improperly. Legally and illegally. With no concern for others. No conscience. No sense of responsibility.
Bernie Madoffs in varying degrees.
Who is responsible for them?
Their parents? Society as a whole?
Parents worked hard to make the American dream possible for their children. Everything was the children. Everything was given to them. Parents wanted more for their children than they had.
Along the way, parents may have forgotten to teach responsibility. To one’s self and to others. Or maybe it was taught and not heard. Also, perhaps parents made it too easy for their children. A few hard times would not have hurt.
Society as a whole condoned this do everything for the kids mentality. How could a parent do less than everything?
Now the evil of the life style has come home to roost. It is time for the fiddler to be paid. By Marjorie, by Bernie Madoff and by all the others who are committing and have committed similar wrongdoings.
That is my Key West story for the day.
A bit heavy.
A bit thoughtful.