College Student Wins Stalking Order Against Extreme Helicopter Parents
When Aubrey Ireland left for college she had a good relationship with her parents. They had always supported her interest in music and acting and offered to pay her tuition to the University of Cincinnati's prestigious College-Conservatory of Music, even though she had received scholarships from other schools.
However during her college career, David and Julie Ireland began displaying extreme tendencies of helicopter parents. They had monitoring software installed in Aubrey's cellphone and laptop, which allowed them to follow her every keystroke and dialed number. They also began showing up for unannounced visits even though they lived 600 miles away.
During these long distance pop-ins they would accuse her of drug use, promiscuity and mental problems -- this despite the fact Aubrey had been on the Dean's List for every semester she was enrolled.
Her parents' visits had become so intense that the school hired extra security guards to keep them away from her performances.
Finally, when the Irelands went to Aubrey's department head and told him that their daughter's mental issues were so bad they were considering getting a court order to treat them, Aubrey struck back with a legal maneuver of her own .
"It's just been really embarrassing and upsetting to have my parents come to my university when I'm a grown adult and just basically slander my name and follow me around," Aubrey said during a hearing in which she asked for a restraining order against her folks.
The judge agreed that Aubrey's parents' behavior constituted stalking, and now they can't get within 500 feet of the 21-year-old senior until September 23, 2013. The judge also ruled Aubrey doesn't have to return the money her parents paid for tuition, as they had demanded.
The school has stepped in to foot the bill for her last semester, finally freeing Aubrey from the long arms of mom and dad. We can only imagine how awkward the holidays will be next year.