The judge let Gio come home with us!!!!!
I'll fill you in on the details later, but suffice it to say, we're all very happy.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
We wish you a ..... bah humbug
I can't believe it's less than a week until Christmas. I have so much to do yet. Presents to buy, presents to wrap. Cleaning. Planning the Christmas day meal. Baking cookies. I'm hoping to get the bulk of the baking done today. Cutouts, choc chip and coconut cream cheese are on the agenda.
Gio has court tomorrow. I'm so nervous for him, that I'm practically sick. I've spoken to everyone that I could possibly think of. His Philadelphia PO, who has known Gio for years, agrees that instead of another placement, Gio's best shot at not becoming a high school drop out, felon is to come with us. She said she'll recommend it to the judge. I guess it's up to the judge. I have a letter from our school administrator, saying what a difference being part of our family has made in JJ's life. JJ said he'd go to court and talk to the judge, but that wasn't allowed. I have another letter from one of Gio's teachers saying he noticed a difference in Gio when he came to us, and how Gio avoids classroom drama, and so on..... Who knows what will happen. It will either be a wonderful, happy ride home from Philadelphia, or a miserable silent one. Keep your fingers crossed for Gio.
Gio has court tomorrow. I'm so nervous for him, that I'm practically sick. I've spoken to everyone that I could possibly think of. His Philadelphia PO, who has known Gio for years, agrees that instead of another placement, Gio's best shot at not becoming a high school drop out, felon is to come with us. She said she'll recommend it to the judge. I guess it's up to the judge. I have a letter from our school administrator, saying what a difference being part of our family has made in JJ's life. JJ said he'd go to court and talk to the judge, but that wasn't allowed. I have another letter from one of Gio's teachers saying he noticed a difference in Gio when he came to us, and how Gio avoids classroom drama, and so on..... Who knows what will happen. It will either be a wonderful, happy ride home from Philadelphia, or a miserable silent one. Keep your fingers crossed for Gio.
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Pardon me, I'm venting
I need to vent!!!
As I've alluded to, our new foster kid Gio got into some trouble. Before he came here, he and a couple of other Children's Home kids got into a fight with a man, and they beat him up pretty badly. There was a witness, and the guy, and all three of them were brought to the police station for questioning. They all denied what happened. Keith is the one who had to take Gio, and he was disgusted by Gio lying, saying he had no idea what they were talking about, he wasn't there, etc. This is just a few days before he came to live with us, but Keith brought him here that night for dinner, and we talked with Gio. We told him that the right thing to do was to go back to the police and admit what he did, say he was sorry, and cooperate with them. He refused at first, but we told him that if he was really intent on turning his life around, he had to start doing the right thing. After a bit more talking and coaxing, he agreed. Keith took him back down the next day and he talked to the detective, and told him exactly what happened, but only about himself, he refused to say anything about the other two boys....but at least we'd made some headway. The detective told him that he was proud of him and really appreciated him being honest.
A couple of days later, Gio comes to stay with us. He said he wants to change his life, and wants more than a life of getting into trouble and being a street kid. Not his exact words, but that's the gist of it.
He's here for three weeks. In that time, his grades go up in school. He's earning 100's on his behavior points, I have teachers coming up to me saying what a difference they've seen in him. He had many heart-to-hearts with me, where he told me about his miserable home life, lack of any kind of consequences for his actions, and a mother who never really cared at all what he did. He said that he never really felt support until he met us. And, that he really thought that Keith and I were the only two people he could trust.
Then I got a call that I had to take him to the detention center. I took him there, thinking he'd be charged with something, then sent home. Wrong. They kept him. We went to his first hearing, and the bitch who worked at juvey said we weren't allowed to go in, but she'd tell him we were there. At the next hearing, we were allowed in. In the meantime, we've visited him every time we're allowed to (twice a week) and I write him letters several times a week. He writes to us too. At his second hearing, he says that he's going to plead guilty. They drop all but one charge, and he makes his plea. Then the judge asks if there's something he'd like to say to the victim. He looks right at the guy and says, "I'm sorry. I'm manning up for what I did, and I'm sorry. That's all I can say" I was so proud of him.
Now, they've sent him to Philadelphia to their Juvey (because even though it happened here, he's a ward of Philadelphia, so that's where he has to go). Right before they sent him there, he got his weekly phone call and called me. The other two boys still aren't admitting what they did, and none of their charges were dropped, so Gio saw the benefit of "coming clean". But, today when he called, he told me the victim didn't show up for the hearing for the other boys, and he has to come back later in the week and pick them out of a line up. If he can't do that, the other boys get off. Gio would never testify against them, he was their friend. (Even though in my opinion, they're hanging him out to dry). He said to me, "See, I was right. If I wouldn't have gone back, I wouldn't be getting sent to Philadelphia. I would be home by next week. They're beating their charges. But, it's too late now"
God, do I feel awful. I still think it's right that he admitted what he did and pled guilty, but where's the justice? How do I expect this kid to learn a lesson when he's going to serve some time, and the others are going to get off scott free? I know that I wouldn't want him to have lied, but don't you think he should get some kind of break for fessing up? I could just scream! See how good it is to do the right thing, Gio? See how great it will be living here with us, being honest and doing the right thing? Oh yeah, as soon as you're done serving what ever amount of time some Philadelphia judge says you have to serve, while your buddies are free, running the streets. And, I told him that I felt awful about this whole thing, and you know what he said, "Don't worry about me. It's okay."
As I've alluded to, our new foster kid Gio got into some trouble. Before he came here, he and a couple of other Children's Home kids got into a fight with a man, and they beat him up pretty badly. There was a witness, and the guy, and all three of them were brought to the police station for questioning. They all denied what happened. Keith is the one who had to take Gio, and he was disgusted by Gio lying, saying he had no idea what they were talking about, he wasn't there, etc. This is just a few days before he came to live with us, but Keith brought him here that night for dinner, and we talked with Gio. We told him that the right thing to do was to go back to the police and admit what he did, say he was sorry, and cooperate with them. He refused at first, but we told him that if he was really intent on turning his life around, he had to start doing the right thing. After a bit more talking and coaxing, he agreed. Keith took him back down the next day and he talked to the detective, and told him exactly what happened, but only about himself, he refused to say anything about the other two boys....but at least we'd made some headway. The detective told him that he was proud of him and really appreciated him being honest.
A couple of days later, Gio comes to stay with us. He said he wants to change his life, and wants more than a life of getting into trouble and being a street kid. Not his exact words, but that's the gist of it.
He's here for three weeks. In that time, his grades go up in school. He's earning 100's on his behavior points, I have teachers coming up to me saying what a difference they've seen in him. He had many heart-to-hearts with me, where he told me about his miserable home life, lack of any kind of consequences for his actions, and a mother who never really cared at all what he did. He said that he never really felt support until he met us. And, that he really thought that Keith and I were the only two people he could trust.
Then I got a call that I had to take him to the detention center. I took him there, thinking he'd be charged with something, then sent home. Wrong. They kept him. We went to his first hearing, and the bitch who worked at juvey said we weren't allowed to go in, but she'd tell him we were there. At the next hearing, we were allowed in. In the meantime, we've visited him every time we're allowed to (twice a week) and I write him letters several times a week. He writes to us too. At his second hearing, he says that he's going to plead guilty. They drop all but one charge, and he makes his plea. Then the judge asks if there's something he'd like to say to the victim. He looks right at the guy and says, "I'm sorry. I'm manning up for what I did, and I'm sorry. That's all I can say" I was so proud of him.
Now, they've sent him to Philadelphia to their Juvey (because even though it happened here, he's a ward of Philadelphia, so that's where he has to go). Right before they sent him there, he got his weekly phone call and called me. The other two boys still aren't admitting what they did, and none of their charges were dropped, so Gio saw the benefit of "coming clean". But, today when he called, he told me the victim didn't show up for the hearing for the other boys, and he has to come back later in the week and pick them out of a line up. If he can't do that, the other boys get off. Gio would never testify against them, he was their friend. (Even though in my opinion, they're hanging him out to dry). He said to me, "See, I was right. If I wouldn't have gone back, I wouldn't be getting sent to Philadelphia. I would be home by next week. They're beating their charges. But, it's too late now"
God, do I feel awful. I still think it's right that he admitted what he did and pled guilty, but where's the justice? How do I expect this kid to learn a lesson when he's going to serve some time, and the others are going to get off scott free? I know that I wouldn't want him to have lied, but don't you think he should get some kind of break for fessing up? I could just scream! See how good it is to do the right thing, Gio? See how great it will be living here with us, being honest and doing the right thing? Oh yeah, as soon as you're done serving what ever amount of time some Philadelphia judge says you have to serve, while your buddies are free, running the streets. And, I told him that I felt awful about this whole thing, and you know what he said, "Don't worry about me. It's okay."
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