On Wednesday and Thursday I cleaned and shopped and generally got things ready for Sunday. We went to visit JJ both nights. Yesterday, Braden had plans to take his scooter and meet some buddies in town and go on a "scooter tour of Nazareth". It rained most of the day, but they had fun anyway. According to Braden, it was so much fun, they're planning another one.
JJ came up yesterday. The neighbor kids came over and they rode the four wheeler and played a little basketball...in between the rain drops. When it rained harder, they played video games. I was making chocolate chip cookies, and JJ helped me mix it. He never used a mixer before, and was cracking me up by talking to it. Braden came home mid-afternoon with a couple of his friends, so there were kids (and mud) everywhere. JJ asked me, while we were making cookies, "Miss, why is the home doing this to us?" I didn't have an answer for him.
When we took him back last night, the staff said, "Just because you had to have him back early, doesn't mean your visit has to end early. Stay awhile. I'll unluck the gym for you if you want." JJ ran to put his bag of snacks in his room, and the staff had a little talk with us. He went on and on about what a good kid JJ is, and how it's a shame he's stuck in the Acopian center with all the knuckleheads, as he put it. "You gotta get him out of here," he said. "He's one of the few kids here who actually listen when you talk to him. He doesn't belong here. When he comes back from a visit at your place, or after you leave when visiting him, his spirit is so different. He practically floats on air." While it's good to hear these things, it's disheartening to know we can't do anything to speed the process up. But, I've been thinking...I don't care whose toes it would be stepping on, I'm calling his Philadelphia case worker on Monday, and I'm going to see if there's something she can do about it. What have we got to lose at this point?
One of Braden's favorite teachers (his shop teacher) was fired last week. He was escorted out of the building by police. Evidently, he gave a kid a wedgie while fooling around (and I hear he fools around a lot...which most of the kids love). Anyway, wedgie boy told his parents who then went to the superintendent, and now the guy is gone, and Braden is going to be stuck doing "book work" in shop for the rest of the year, because they can't find a wood shop teacher this late in the year. Tracee, do you know anything about wood shop?
Tomorrow, I'm having 12 for dinner. I'm making ham, chicken francaise, mashed potatoes, pineapple stuffing, corn, greens, and peanut butter pie and a pineapple anglefood cake thing for dessert. My brother is making suppa tuscano for an appetizer and I don't know what my sister is making. Tea lady, in all her laziness, is bring soda. Big whoop! We're doing an egg hunt this year, for the first time in a few years. It will just be Braden, JJ, my neice Shay and maybe James. It should be a nice day.
7 comments:
Maybe I don't know enough about the modern school atmosphere but isn't a wedgie a pretty intimate thing for a teacher to give a student and also between 2 males pretty much a gay thing? allan
Have a great Easter, Schell.
Give Afro a tongue kiss for me!
I have yet to teach a shop class, but I bet I would love it.
A wedgie is what a bully gives to an unsuspecting nerd. I don't think there is anything gay about..yanking someone's underwear up hard enough to hurt their priavtes.
Wedgies are bisexual, then, Allan. They can be give to men or women.
Allan, men have been giving men wedgies for years. (I must say I am surprised no one has given you one.) Teachers, however, should never be giving wedgies to their students. It is very juvenile--of course, that's why the kids like the shop teacher.
A wedgie is comparable to an Indian burn or head noogies. It's a completely non-sexual, goofball male-bonding event.
It's the most ridiculous reason to fire a teacher I have ever heard of.
Schell, by all means, call that caseworker! Sometimes making a nuisance of yourself can get things moving. You're my hero for what you're trying to do for J.J.
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