Smackdown

To Inanna and all of the other parents who are forced to battle the schools to ensure their children are being educated and treated fairly- my hat is off to you. I feel that over the past two days, I have walked a mile in your shoes, and I can't imagine doing it longer. James has been suspended for 3 days. The offense was minor (horseplay in the hallway), and there is no justification for it. I went last night and spoke with the Ass principal (whose mind was totally on catching a flight to a conference). He said James has had four office referrals this year...REALLY I ask- but he hasn't been in APR (in-school suspension). No, the referrals were for missed detentions (pretty serious, eh?) The detentions, you ask? Because he was tardy (if they miss the bus, they have to call a relative for a ride, as they live with Grandma who doesn't have a car of her own). However, he did seem obsessed with an incident involving James last year, where James was swearing at him and was suspended for 10 days. I tried to point out that he has turned his life around this year, but Ass was not convinced.

This morning, I brought my concern to the Dean (I love her- she's a peer to the Ass, not his superior). She looked through the file, and agreed with me. She emailed the principal and arranged a meeting with him to discuss it. The good counselor (I guess I'll call him GC) went, too to speak on James' behalf. The principal agreed with the assessment, but does not have the authority to overturn Ass' decision once made. Often, if a parent will come in and plead their case, the child will be allowed to return early. I asked if I could speak in that capacity, as James has asked me to fill in at several functions as such. I was told that since Ass did not allow this in his documentation, nothing can be done. I know I did all that I could, but I still feel that I failed. James missed a huge game last night, and playoffs tonight. I don't think he can be back on the team after being suspended. I did bring up my concern with the principal that I have sent several white students to the Ass with the same type of incident, who had similar numbers of office referrals for more disruptive things than James, and they were given DETENTIONS. I don't give a flying fuck if Ass is pissed when he gets back. I have bit my tongue on four occasions that I felt that black students were being treated unfairly, but I WILL NOT sit back quietly while he fucks with James. I don't care if I have to bring Jesse Jackson back- I'm not going to let this go.

C behaved like an idiot today and gave me no choice but to send him down on an office referral. I don't know what was running through his mind, but he had a choice to return and do his work, or go to the office and take the referral, and he chose the latter. I did go ask that he be put in APR instead of suspended- that way he'll get some work done. I sometimes feel like he drains the life force out of me. He's so desperately needy- I know he really likes me, and I feel like I'm being tested to see if I'll follow through with consequences. I took him into GC and explained that the referral was HIS choice- he made it, and he would receive the consequences. GC did make an interesting observation- C has only acted like this since Xmas break. I remembered the day that they came back, he came up and hugged me, and he had tears in his eyes. He said he had missed me very much. A lot of our kids are used to being abandoned by adults, and they resent when they grow to depend on one too much... OR, my co-workers are right and "he's just a jerk who'll end up in prison like his dad". (Dad and uncle are in prison for murder since C was 3). Whatever, I'll go see him in APR tomorrow- several of my angels are in there, and I'm going to take a quiz down for them (hehehe- they think they'll have extra time to prepare and won't have to take it until they get back)!!!

Ok, I've got several things to take care of before I go to bed, so I wish you all a peaceful day.