Thread: Just on the local news. . .

I know what you mean. We had a parent conference this week. When I came out of it, I felt like vomiting. What that boy goes home to is sheer insanity!!! His mother is being treated for cancer. His father is nuts, either a drug addict or an alcoholic. But obviously seriously disturbed. I wonder how some of these kids function as well as they do..

oh man! IMA!

That's awful. Poor kid. Makes you wonder how some of them learn anything ever!

I think if I knew what some of my kiddos go through at home I wouldn't be able to sleep. School is their safe haven. Lord, be with the children.

On our news this week we've been told about a two year old dying from being beaten by her 17 year old male cousin. Then today I read where they are investigating prior abuse toward this poor little gal.
Then tonight the news reported a mom's boyfriend broke her two year old's legs. What sick and heartbreaking things that go on.

Two of my students-twin girls- found their mother (a nice lady in my estimation) shot dead in the basement after school one day- her boyfriend was responsible. Some of my other students have had other problems I wouldn't talk about publicly, but it is disgusting beyond words what some "adults" selfishly do, that usually harms their kids and is done so thoughtlessly. Really makes ya want to have a special "conference"....

When I was student teaching, one of my student's grandmother was killed by a teenager who had broken into her home to support his drug habit. The brother of the boy who did the killing was also in our school.

In the same class, there was another student who, we discovered, was being sexually abused by a neighbor boy, and yet another who started talking about her mother and mother's boyfriend using drugs in the apartment.

It's amazing sometimes how these kids learn at all with some of the stresses they live with daily. Most adults have difficulty dealing with these stresses as they go through their lives when they don't have to learn anything new.

Oh yes, and in spite of all this, teachers must make sure these kids learn and pass numerous. We do have NCLB after all!

So sad reading all of this, and to think people kill for drugs, money etc....? What are our standards these days? Money rules, as with status.

And these children, our future, are living through the worst of this and functioning apparantley.
I'm a result of an abuse, and I know how it's affected me, I don't know how those poor kids can live kknowing their mother/father were killers and or killed for petty reasons.
What's our future going to be like if this is what our kids are seeing?

One day we were sitting in the staff room trying to find one case of a kid that comes from a so-called normal family. We were hard pressed to come up with even one.

Many of our kids come from abusive homes, or alcohol/drug abuse homes, are homeless, or living just above the poverty level.

Some of the more horrific stories...

The 3rd grade boy who was snuggling with his mother at the age of 8, when his father came into the room and shot the mother dead. His sister was only standing in the doorway.

The 5th grader whose cousin was an innocent who was in the way during a drive by shooting.

The 4th grade girl who finally got up the courage to confide in a teacher that her father had been molesting her. The father was arrested. While in custody, he managed to hang himself rather than go to trial.

Most recently, the 6th grade girl who was expelled for pulling a knife on another 6th grader, and was carrying an antique grenade. The bomb squad had to be called in to determine if it was a live grenade...it wasn't.

What ever it is that gets these kids to school, is partly what gets me there. Their courage under fire is what makes me give my all.
I know why I am sooo exhausted at the end of a day, the week. I know why I sooo look forward to extra days off.

Oh..and by the way..when is Spring Break?

No wonder why there are so many teen suicides and crime these days, the generations pass it if you think about it. Do as they see.