Showing posts with label school to prison pipeline. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school to prison pipeline. Show all posts

01 April 2013

When The Words No Longer Get Stuck In Your Head

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Photo Credit


It wasn't that long ago when words got stuck in my head. When the only person who would listen to me was blogger. When I thought I would go crazy if I didn't get the thoughts out of my head.

Looking back, it's clear that I was lonely, even when I was still with husband. Writing here was my way to find validation and companionship - not in a I-want-to-be-internet-famous way, but in a way to simply be acknowledged as human. 

Now? I have a relationship with someone who validates me every day (validates is not euphemism ... although I'm sure Mike wishes it was). 

I want to write. There is a part of me that misses writing - attempting to put my thoughts in print so that they make as much sense to anyone reading them as they do when they are bouncing in my head. This blog has been my friend when I felt there was no one else who would listen. It was important to me, and I feel kind of bad to have tossed it aside recently.

It's not like life has been boring I last wrote a month ago, in fact, life has been churning right along at a much faster pace than two years ago. Here are a few examples.
  • The school district agreed to EXACTLY what I asked for back in January - before I filed for Due Process - before I spent $2,500 of someone else's money on legal fees. I am both relieved and angry. For a system that claims to continually fight bullying, they are a prime example of a bully - repeatedly using aggressive behavior intended to hurt another person, physically or mentally (although I believe this had more to do with DECREASING their liability that it actually had to do with intentionally harming Cam). It isn't until the power shifted that they backed down. I am relived that Cam will remain where he belongs, but angry that it took an attorney to get the school district to do what was right.
  • I'm heading to the hospital tomorrow morning for my vertical sleeve gastrectomy surgery. I am nervous (understatement), yet looking forward to a life where food is not the center of my world. Finally letting go of my invisible fat woman identity is a little scary - my fat has allowed me to keep people at a distance, and losing that ability is beyond uncomfortable.
  • I recently tracked down one of Cam's first cousins. A two-week free membership on Ancestry.com led me to a public family tree that included Cam's father (Thyrus). I contacted the member who put together the family tree and learned that she is married to one of Cam's first cousins. We have been corresponding via email and, assuming everyone is open to it, she will provide me with contact information for Thyrus' sister. My hope is that, at a minimum, I'll be able to get at least some medical history. Best case? Thyrus' family welcomes Cam with open arms. We'll see how this goes.
  • I committed to doing a Tough Mudder in October. It will be difficult to be in great shape shape six months after surgery, especially since I cannot begin exercising until mid May, so instead I'm aiming for good shape, focusing on endurance and upper body strength as those will be tested the most in a Tough Mudder event. I chalk this decision up to having a mid-life crisis (<-- See what I did there??).
See? I do still have a life, but it is one with less drama and more love, and it appears that equates to less blogging.

Who knew?

28 February 2013

High School Memories - PART VI



That was one hell of a long day!

I didn't realize it had been FOUR WEEKS since I teased y'all with the "I'll wrap this series up tomorrow with an update of where we are - what steps I'm taking - where I hope this story goes" line of my last post.

OOPS!

I did retain an attorney with the financial help of Andy's parents. I didn't go bottom of the barrel, but rather decided it was best to use a firm with proven results in educational law. 

Funny story ...

When Mike and I went in for the consultation with the attorney, and it came time to talk about payment, I said, "I have kind of an odd situation with payments ..." After the attorney cut me off with, "We don't accept payments. You have to pay us a retainer," and I assured him I was aware of that - that I had just used the wrong words, I explained the financial support of Andy's parents.

His response?

"Do you mind if I call them now?" as he was already grabbing the phone to make the call.

I don't think he believed me. I don't blame him, at that point I was having a hard time believing it was true.

When Andy's dad answered the call, and explained what they were doing for Cam, and why they were doing it, the attorney said, "I'm at a loss for words, and attorneys are never at a loss for words."

Five days later, Mike dropped off the check for the retainer and copies of 11 years of documentation relating to Cam's diagnosis and school experience (three binders full), along with a request to allow me to participate in the process as much as possible to minimize costs. I feel a duty to be as fiscally responsible for Andy's parents money as possible.

Cam will be undergoing another full-scale neuro-psych evaluation Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. This time from a consulting group the attorney recommended.

We (the attorney and I) will be meeting with the school district and a mediator on Wednesday, March 20th. The hope is that this will be resolved without going to Due Process.

Cam has not had a single referral to the Dean's office since December, and was even selected to participate in a video the school is putting together that addresses cyber bullying ... and he is not playing the big, black, scary student in the video.

The SRO that has been such an ass, has been suspended from his position (possibly fired, I can't seem to find out what, exactly, his status is). Oddly, not because of his inappropriate words with Andy and his parents, but because he and the electrical theory teacher decided it would be a good idea to offer students 5 extra credit points if they would allow the SRO to tase them.

*BLINK*

*BLINK*

Apparently, someone in the class recorded a video of this extra credit assignment, posting it to YouTube, and some of the parents of the kids who were under 18 weren't very happy with the SRO and teacher's conduct without parental consent.

Ummmm ...

Yeah ...

Bottom line?

I think this all bodes well for the result we want - Cam to continue attending his home high school.

I also think the school, and the district, may have had a bit of a wake-up call.