I did not want to get out of bed this morning! The alarm sounded and outside my window hung a gray haze of a Marine fog that taunted every muscle in my body to rebel against my brain’s better judgment. When I finally arrived, late and rattled I had an eager mother waiting to discuss her daughter’s last bout with substance abuse and truancy issues. It appeared that she lost control years ago and was looking for a quick fix from the school to salvage what was left of her daughter’s education.
I had scheduled a docket of truancy hearings all morning… it was only the second week of school, but some students actually develop a pattern early in the year. This year, more determined than ever, I challenged them early to turn from their evil ways and actually learn something this year. The second family was no better than the first. The police had already arrested young Jose for his truancy in middle school and given that the first day of school I had to deal with him for stealing a burrito in the cafeteria it appeared history was going to repeat itself. I called probation and found out that this young man had quite the history and a number of alias in the community. After our “discussion” on the first day of school he had stopped attending all together and was now hanging out with the local “gangsters” that were arrested outside our west gate last week. I informed Jose that he was no longer “in little people school” and we would take him to court if his attendance did not improve… I went on to buy him a lock for his locker, PE clothes so he would dress out and then challenged him to “make me go away.”
The truancy hearing ended about noonish and I thought the worst of my day had ended when a man came to the front desk and “DEMANDED” to see his son. Our clerk sent a pass for the student and then realized that the father was NOT on the emergency contact list. She immediately stopped him, but not before his son had appeared in the office. I heard him yell at her and came out to attempt to explain if he provided custody papers we could honor his request, when I found myself toe to toe with him standing between he and his son. He began to swear at me and ask me to do things that were physically impossible! I told the son to go back to class… he demanded he stay; I insisted he go to class lest I call the police department. Luckily for me the son complied. I informed the father that he needed to leave the premises he also complied while cussing me all the way out the door. Normally when a parent is not listed in our records and there is a note “do not release family information” there is an abuse issue and I wasn’t about to expose this young man to more chaos in his life. Later when I called his mother, I found my instincts were correct that his father was violent, was in trouble with the police and was pending a court date.
Debbie walked in my office to harass me about “giving another parent a hard time.” We have experienced more than our share of nutty parents this week… includingthe one that wasted an hour of my life complaining that the school counselor called him to inform him that his daughter was “cutting” herself. After all, couldn’t we just leave her alone, he argued! Debbie and I laughed at the sheer nonsense and I told her, “It is just a matter of time before someone knocks my block off, just do me a favor dig a hole in the back yard and dump me in headfirst!
Despite logic, there is simply no hesitation in my heart about protecting these knuckleheads who have made a hobby of turning my hair gray! I find this concept true with most school administrators…. these students are OUR kids! Perhaps that is the ultimate test that you are indeed doing what you have been “called” to do in life, when you are willing to do whatever it takes to protect them (it.) Call it stupid, call it brave, but either way just don’t mess with my kids!
