Should parents be forced to pay for tuition?

Even when their child runs away from home because she doesn't like to do chores? Is it OK to sue the parents in that case?

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11214782

admin: This seems pretty straight forward to me based off that one article. She's an adult and has left home of her own free will. Her folks can no longer be held legally responsible for her.

Plus she doesn't sound very nice.

nzlockie: Lol, she does't sound very nice.

I don't think so. She's just feeding off of them. That's what the US Government is for. Lol.

admin: As nzlockie said Rachel Canning is an adult. The story here and elsewhere on the Internet explicitly showed that the parents waited until she became an adult(ages 16-18 in the US) to stop paying the tuition. I would say shame on her for taking her parents money but not wanting to do something as basic as chores. Either way she will learn how to behave like an adult now with adult responsibilities. She will also learn not as many people will ever care for her as much as her parents nor put up with her nonsense. It is American teen drama; scatterbrained, vulgar, and frivolous.

I find the culture of expectation interesting in general though.

Before I started university I worked out exactly who was going to support me and what, if any, conditions were attached. I always kept up my side of the bargain, but nonetheless several people - my own father, the board of my former school etc - went back on the promises they originally made. In effect I was lied to which made it incredibly hard to finish my degree.

On a different matter, I think it's important that if parents are being abusive like the girl says, the state ought to be there to support her. I don't really blame her for refusing to do chores if her parents were abusive. I have a younger brother who refuses to do chores sometimes but we'd never kick him out of the house, because we want what's best for him and know that he's better off here than on the streets. I think the fact that the parents kicked her out over some chores, by their own testimony, is a pretty sad admission of what sort of parents they were. Quick to blame, slow to teach.

Imagine if the story was slightly different - if the parents had previously said they were going to pay for her college education. In that case, I would totally be on the girl's side. But the girl shot herself in the foot by claiming the parents were always useless and would never do something like that. As it stands I agree with everyone here that the parents should not be forced to do anything. If anyone, the state should be prosecuting the parents for being useless (if there is indeed evidence that this was the case). But plenty of young people go through higher education without parental support.

Tophatdoc: I like that.

Pinkie: I am glad you did because I know many people who wouldn't.

Tophatdoc: Well too bad for them.

There is an aspect that is overlooked, and while it might not matter in this case, it is still true.
According to the law, you can be a dependent if you are in school full time and under 24. Thus, FAFSA requires you to disclose both you and your parents' income.

It is entirely possible that some jerk parent could literally prevent their child from getting federal aid, including loans, to go to college.
Would it be alright to sue them for damages in this case?

Khaos: How could you prevent someone to get aid?

Khaos: All of this sounds like neglect to me, which is yet another crime.

admin: Is it a crime to neglect your adult child?

Pinkie: When I was applying for school, FAFSA was required to fill out for aid, if not to even apply.
The FAFSA was not complete without both parents' incomes. If they did not cooperate, it would hinder the process.
Of course, the law could have changed from 14 years ago.

Khaos: My understanding is that it's a crime to neglect the care of mentally disabled or elderly people. Being over 18 has nothing to do with it, it's all about what duty of care you owe.

admin: That's really confusing.

Pinkie: The law generally is.

admin: Obviously.
My point was that neglecting your adult college-bound child by refusing to file necessary paperwork for loan applications (FAFSA) could be grounds for a lawsuit.
To be honest, when I first heard of this story, that is what I thought it was about.
I was very saddened to realize it wasn't.

admin: True. Among the complications of life caused by the vast complexity of politics, the last thing we wish to complicate is the law. Laws make sense only within a certain union of thought, and the Federal Government IS THAT UNION. And so it rests that we wish to simplify the system, by simplifying law. As a proponent for simplification, we would ask you to vote for the Gov. at the end of the round. -Caleb K.

Pinkie: That has to be one of the most cool sounding let meaningless paragraphs I've ever read.

admin: Ikr? It ends with vote for me.