As a parent, we can expect the unexpected when it comes to dealing with our children. We know that it is going to be a lifelong project and it doesn’t only happen when they are young, we continue to be a parent to them when they are older. At times, we may even be inconvenienced because of something our children said or did that causes us to come to their rescue. That is what happened in the following story when mother was called to the school for something that her daughter had done. In the end, she taught everyone at the school a lesson.
“I’m an ER Nurse. We’re not allowed to keep our phones on us, they’re to be kept in our lockers. A call comes into the hospital reception on a private line for me.”
“Phone: This is (teacher) from (school). There’s been an incident involving your daughter. We need you to come in.
“Me: Is she ill or injured? Can it wait until my shift is over in two hours?
“Phone: Your daughter has struck another pupil. We’ve been trying to call you for 45 minutes. It really is very serious.”
The mother goes to school, only to be given the riot act by the principal.
“I go to the school and am ushered into the principal’s office. I see my daughter, a male teacher, a female counselor, the principal, a boy with blood around his nose and a red face, and his parents.
“Principal: How kind of you to FINALLY join us!
“Me: Yeah, things get busy in the ER. I’ve spent the last hour administering over 40 stitches to a seven-year-old who was beaten by his mother with a metal ladle and then I had to deal with the police regarding the matter. Sorry for the inconvenience.”
The mother was going to punish her daughter but changed her mind once she learned what happened.
“After watching him [the principal] try to not act embarrassed, he tells me what has happened. The boy had twanged my daughter’s bra and she had punched him in the face twice. I got the impression they were more angry with my daughter than the boy.”
This mother takes the stance any parent should in the situation, defending her daughter from sexual assault:
“Me: Oh, and you want to know if I’m going to press charges against him for sexually assaulting my daughter and against the school for allowing him to do it?”
The other parents tried to downplay the situation but she proves what she said.
“They all get jittery when I mention sexual assault and start speaking at once.
“Teacher: I don’t think it was that serious.
“Counselor: Let’s not overreact.
“Principal: I think you’re missing the point.
“The boy’s mother then starts crying.”
The mother is understandibly angry and asks the daughter what happened.
“Daughter: He kept pinging my bra. I asked him to stop but he didn’t, so I told my teacher. He told me to ignore it. The boy did it again and undid my bra so I hit him. Then he stopped.
“I turned to the teacher.
“Me: You let him do this? Why didn’t you stop him? Come over here and let me touch the front of your trousers.
“Teacher: What? No!
“Me: Does that seem inappropriate to you? Why don’t you go and pull on the counselor’s bra right now. See how fun it is for her. Or on that boy’s mom’s bra. Or mine. You think just because they’re kids it’s fun?”
The principal still tries to downplay it.
“Principal: With all due respect, your daughter still beat another child.
“Me: No. She defended herself against a sexual assault from another pupil. Look at the them. He’s a foot taller than her and twice as heavy. How many times should she have let him touch her? If the person who was supposed to help and protect her in a classroom couldn’t be bothered what should she have done? He pulled her bra so hard it came undone.”
Finally, everyone gets it.
“The boy’s mom is still crying and his dad looks both angry and embarrassed. The teacher won’t make eye contact with me.
“I was so angry I gathered my daughter’s things and left. I reported it to the superintendent, and was assured it was strongly dealt with.”
