Girl Fails G.E.D. Dad Goes to Jail

An Ohio teenager says she should be in jail instead of her father.

Brian Gegner was sentenced to 180 days behind bars because his daughter was unable to complete her GED.

As Deb Silverman reports, his daughter says he shouldn't be punished for her problems.

"Probation until I get my GED would be reasonable, really reasonable, but to send him to jail that's just overboard"

JUDGE DAVID KNEEHOUSE ORDERED BRITANY GEGNER'S FATHER BRIAN TO 180 DAYS IN JAIL FOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE DELINQUENCY OF A MINOR FOR NOT FOLLOWING THIS COURT ORDER IT REQUIRED GEGNER TO BE SURE HIS DAUGHTER GETS HER GENERAL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA OR G-E-D. THIS COMES AFTER ONGOING PROBLEMS OF BRITTANY SKIPPING CLASSES A FAIRFIELD HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN BUTLER TECH. WHILE BRIAN GEGNER HAD CUSTODY OF HER, BRITTANY SAYS IT WAS WHILE SHE LIVED WITH HER MOTHER THAT SHE WAS TRUANT.

"I'm about to be 19 and my dad's getting punished for something I did when I was 16. It's like I should, if anybody, be punished for this. I would way rather me go to jail than my dad"

"The probably should've punished me if they were going to punish anybody because she did live with me at the time, but because he had the custody that's why he's being punished, but I don't understand the punishment all together because she's been going to school for four months and the only thing holding her back from getting her G-E-D is that she can't pass her math test"

BRITTANY HAS A ONE AND A HALF YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, SHE SAYS SHE IS DETERMINED TO PASS THE G-E-D FOR HER DAUGHTER AND HER FATHER. THE JUDGE SAYS IF SHE PASSES THE TEST HER FATHER COULD GET OUT OF JAIL BEFORE HIS 6 MONTH SENTENCE IS UP. BRITTANY'S STEPMOTHER WORRIES THE TIME IN JAIL WILL RUIN THEIR FAMILY, HE COULD LOSE THE JOB HE'S WORKED FOR 15 YEARS

"I never dreamed they would put him in jail for this, for 6 months, that's crazy. He has no control over what his adult daughter does, he just doesn't."