This actually made me cry.
All a parent wants to do is protect their child from all the ugly in the world. I feel so awful for Akian and can imagine what it felt like to his father to hear his son pushed to the point of tears by a teacher.
A teacher! How many kids are in school everyday and how many parents are putting their faith and trust in teachers to mold and guide their children. Imagine the shock of having that person you trust with your child treat your baby in such a way!
And because of communication issues Akian can't even tell his dad what's going on!? That hit home with me... I think of my Oliver who isn't speaking at a level we want him to be at, and I am so happy to have him home with me where he is loved all day every day. Aside from being unable financially to have sent him to daycare or preschool... I have serious trust issues, anxiety issues, control issues....whatever you want to label my issues as... when it comes to my babies. I love them so much, maybe too much, and I don't like to think about all that can be happening when I am not with them.
Nate and I actually watched Waiting for Superman the other day and were just floored with the way things are. That a bad teacher faces basically no consequence because of unions and tenure. An ineffective teacher is one thing... a bully for a teacher is another! A school will have a zero tolerance policy regarding bullying when it comes to students...but what about when the teacher is the bully? The teacher is tenured and goes to another room... a whole new pool of victims?
I know a lot of teachers and I know that it is a very difficult job. And I know how mentally and emotionally exhausting it can be to take care of your own children, let alone someone else's. But is there really any excuse for finding amusement in making an autistic child cry?
My sister works with severely disabled children as an aide. She loves her kids. "My babies" she calls them. It is an incredibly difficult job and quite frankly, I am very impressed with my sister for doing it... and loving it. It's not something I would have pictured from her several years ago. My mother in law teaches full day kindergarden for special needs children, and she will tell you how hard it is, but she pushed for the school to start this full day class a few years ago. My point is this: if you can't deal with the stress of the job, if you don't have that special something that is needed for a SPECIAL NEEDS child... don't do it! I get that misery loves company, but do you really need to bring a child down to feel better about your own situation?
Ugh...just another bean in the pot for me as I continue to consider homeschooling my babies. I really want to, just not sure how it would go.
And then there is this video I saw (which also made me cry...but in a good way) over at Dear Baby... all about lifting a child up. Encouraging and supporting a beautiful and innocent little boy. May all children be loved in this way. May all children feel special. May all children be unafraid...to dream, invent...to try... to go for it.
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