Tuesday, October 4, 2005

I had a subject...but I lost it...

I've cried a couple of times today.
Most recently, watching Animal Planet's 'Heart of a Lioness'...I can't believe I got hooked into watching it, right to its devastating end...
Dumb show...
The first time I cried was at work today, after hearing over the phone the latest terrible thing that happened at my daughter's school today...
My daughter has never had an easy time of it at school...for some reason the boys and the bullies have decided she's an easy target, and they make her life miserable, every day.  But she's been able to stand it because she's had a few friends in the past...
It seems that since school started this year, though, her friends are gone, and she now has no protection from the TERRIBLE kids that are in her class...
Every day, she comes home with worse and worse stories...
Last week, when a girl hit her and cursed at her and threatened her, seemed to be the point of no return.  When she came home with this one, I called the school but the principal was already gone...and before I could call them the next morning, C called me and left a message on my work voicemail that the principal already knew about what happened and took care of it.
Turns out that a teacher saw what happened and the girl ended up getting expelled.
But, if anything, things got worse for C, and it seems to have triggered a total disregard for human decency when it comes to how the kids are treating my daughter.  They LOCKED her out of a room?  They called her a WHAT?
She has an important eighth grade test thing at school tomorrow, and then I'm picking her up after it's over, and I'm never taking her back.
Never.
The really funny thing is that this is a private school, and so I'm actually paying them to have my daughter treated this way.  And you have to sign a form when you register that, if for any reason your child is withdrawn from the school, you still have to pay for the whole year.
I will fight to the end before they get any more of my money.
Right now, I'm looking at homeschooling her for the rest of the year, as I've already bought all the books...
But I'm just at a loss, and so sad.  She got all A's and B's on her report card last week, which is the best she's done in a year and a half.  Her teachers are wonderful.  I'm afraid that, academically, this will hurt her.
Her soul is more important to me right now, though.  NO ONE could survive in an environment like that. 
Crying again...
I guess we'll see what happens.

13 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry, Michelle.  I understand how she's feeling.  I do.  The state of Pennsylvania has a wonderful cyber school -- they provide you with a computer, printer, all the materials, a teacher, I mean everything that you would need at home.  I don't know if Kentucky has that or not, but maybe check and see.  If you plan all the cirriculum and lesson plans and all that it may be too overwhelming for you, especially with your depression and all the other responsibilities you have.  Do a search on cyber schools, and see what you can come up with.

    I'm sending all my love to C.  I'm so very sorry, sweetheart.  Kids can be SO DARN CRUEL!!!  

    (((lots of love)))

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  2. Oh, I am so sorry to hear this...Give your daughter a big hug from me.  Kids can be so cruel and so mean and if the school isn't making it clear to the students that there is no tolerance for this sort of thing, then it will continue.  I hate hearing this because if you can't depend on the teachers and other people in authority to stop this nonsense, then where do you go?  You should have your daughter take Tae Kwon Do classes so that she learns how to defend herself.  I'm not suggesting that she take these bullies on, but I have learned through my own children that if you instill in them a sense of being able to take care of themselves, then at least they will know in their hearts and their heads that they can stand up against them.  I know I would have a hard time not getting involved myself in some way.  Keep us updated....(((HUGS)))

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  3. Your poor daughter... please offer her a hug from me. I think taking her out of the school is what I would do also. Homeschooling may be the way to go. Be sure and check with your state and see what testing requirements they have so she doesn't miss out on anything that may help her if she wants to go to college later. There are a couple of good homeschooling journals on AOL and a couple of people who have journals who also homeschool. I think I have a couple in my other journals list. Good luck!

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  4. OMG I am so sorry.  What pain your daughter must be feeling.  It made me cry too.  Pennie

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  5. This was a huge decision, but in my opinion, you are doing the right thing. I was bullied to the point of contemplating suicide when I was your daughter's age. I've never fully recovered. If you can do it, homeschooling is a great option. And don't worry. She will keep up just fine. You don't have to spend as much time on homeschool as kids do in regular school. It takes that long because the teacher has to go at the pace of 30 or more kids. That takes time. With just one kid working at her own pace, she could probably finish the work in half the time or less. And there is always the option of moving to another school district too. Good luck and big hugs to you and your daughter!!!

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  6. So, so sorry your daughter is going through this.  My nephew went through some pretty awful stuff too, and I remember in eighth grade being kicked and cursed at, and being teased every day. It made school a place I didn't want to be--definitely got in the way of learning.  I hope you and your daughter find some peace with all this.  Good luck.

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  7. (((((((((())))))))))'s to you and your daughter.  Bullying at school is an awful, awful thing for a child to go through.  I don't blame you at all for taking her out, if it were my J being bullied I would do the same thing, in an instant!  
    Sara   x

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  8. Big ((((hugs))) to both you and C.  I am so sorry this is happening to her.  Kids are just horrible, and especially at that age.  And sometimes I swear, private schools are rougher then public!  I went to a private school and I could make your hair curl with the stories and things I had seen.  
    I would pull her out too...if the school isn't doing anything to slove the problem, or even make it go away...that is there job, they aren't doing their job...you shouldn't have to pay for the full year.  
    Prayers for both you and C...I know how awful bullies can be.

    *hugs*

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  9. Middle school was the worst for my daughter. I hope you are successful with the homeschool thing. Please tell me it was not a Catholic school.

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  10. Oh, do homeschool her!  I will help in any way I can...and there are lots of homeschoolers in Louisville!

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  11. Good Morning was just going thru journals and reading a few...I noticed you were from Louisville , I don't live all that far from you..about 45 min N In Indiana. I have alot of family in Louisville and my husband commutes daily to his job at Fed Ex.....I just wanted to say Hi and If you'd like to stay in touch feel free to Email me Heather47454@aol.com. I'm just starting my own journal so wish me luck. The weather sure feels like fall this morning Brrrrr. take care, Heather

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  12. I would sit down with your daughter and document every bully event. Try and make sure all your dates and times and who was involved is as accurate as can be. Then when you withdraw your daughter I would make copies of the documents to the principal and tell him if they think about charging you for the remaining of the year, the documents will be taken to a lawyer and you will push for a suit for them failing to provide a safe environment for your daughter. A private school should be more on top of what is going on, after all, if it is a "bad" school, people will stop sending the kids, = no tuition, and they don't want that to happen. Obviously the school knows about the harrassment. So they should be taking care of it before it gets to the hitting point. It isn't as though you are pulling her out becasue of a silly reason, she's in danger and it is causing her physical and emotion damage(even if you can't see it on the outside, I gaurantee on the inside she's crying out). DOn't back down! Kids are so mean, but that comes from the home. Obviously the brats have been taught at home that it is ok to treat people so awful If I ever caught my child being mean to another child, they'd have to worry more about me getting my hands on thier hinnies then the principal giving them detention. Good luck. I am thinking of you 2.

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  13. {{{{hugs}}} I am glad I found my way back here.  I hope it all works out, I will be thinking about it.

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