Tired Traitor
Michelle on Mar 03 2007 at 1:29 am | Filed under: The Teaching
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I am so exhausted, so glad it’s Friday. Today was a stressful day for everyone, especially since we had two teachers out. I got in a tiff with one of the aides–she was acting all bossy and ugly, so I just shrugged my shoulders and walked away. That made her even madder. Later, I told her that I knew she was stressed out, blah blah, but I’m still not happy about it.
I have a new student who gave everyone the evil eye for two solid days. Seriously. She is a very unhappy child. However, her attitude reminds me somewhat of mine when I was her age. The eyeliner is the same too. It so happens that she knows Sky, and we have developed a rapport. She laughs and smiles around me. We talk quite a bit. As far as I know, I am the only adult there she speaks to.
This afternoon, she told me how she got the bruise on the side of her face. She is being stalked and abused by a 28-year-old man. She is really afraid of him, and hasn’t told anyone. I suspect one reason that she has not told her dad is that the guy might will get locked up and perhaps he would tell tales on her about her drug use or something else that she doesn’t want her dad to know about.
After she told me this, I explained that I would have to tell her dad, because it is his duty to protect her, and that I needed to make sure that she is safe. My principal asked me if I had given her a disclosure before we talked, and I had to tell her no, because since she has not been to any of my groups, she doesn’t know the confidentiality rules. I am not in the habit of prefacing my conversations with statements like, “Of course, if you tell me anything about you or others being in danger, I am required to notify your parents.” That would sorta shut down a lot of conversations. Anyway, it is not like I am a licensed professional counselor.
I hung out after school today so I could talk to her dad, who always picks her up an hour late. I was talking to someone, and didn’t see her leave the building to catch her ride. By the time I saw her, she was almost to the car. I yelled, but she didn’t stop. So, I started racing to the car, and then after it. Her dad saw me chasing the car, which must have been comical, and stopped and got out. So I got to talk to him. It was interesting–a redneck dad and his goth daughter. Mom isn’t in the picture.
I know she must feel betrayed, and I feel awful about that. I also wonder why a father isn’t noticing bruises on his daughter’s face. He was absolutely thrown for a loop.
I hope she doesn’t shut down again. I think she’s a cool kid. I also really hope that she is safe this weekend. I know I did the right thing, but it really sucked.
ITK code for Singing The Sky:
Yeah, you did the right thing. And I’m sure it felt sucky. Sorry.
I’m thinking of you at your alternative place and trying to send you positive thoughts. Teachers everywhere, despite probably not wanting to be in your job per se, appreciate your efforts to save and watch over these kids. It’s fortunate for the kids that you care so much.
That is a very sucky day, and there is no right thing to do in those circumstances. You did what you HAD to do. And I think we just have to remember that the long-term is much more important, like the girl’s safety and life. Still it “ain’t” easy.
Oh, that’s just terrible to go through. You did the right thing, but still not easy to do. I’ve watched the opposite though, and I just cringe that these “adults” sacrifice being the adult to be popular or liked. . . SCARY.
Hopefully the situation with this girl will get sorted out and maybe one day in the future she’ll appreciate why you had do what you did. I too hope she doesn’t shut down, sounds like she could do with someone who cares in her life right now.
‘Right’ is rarely the same thing as ‘easy’. At least in the short term.