Sunday, May 6, 2007

I'm not a martyr

I am not a martyr...in the end I know what to do to get results, and how to make my point. I write my blog to vent (for myself)...I reread it, and devise my plan of action with a clear head.
But living on this side of the divide (and not using it as an excuse) things are as they are, there are options available, though hard to come by.
I had a conversation with my landlady, who though she grew up in the hood in Chitown, went to really good schools and travels with the upper escalant of black society. Her world consist of all her friends and associates having a good education, most with masters; the children attending the best public, private and catholic schools. In her world its who you know, and looking out for each other...it's a given that you will get your way in the end... We on this side of the divide don't have those options.
Case in point, I wanted moodmagicbarb to join bigbrother/bigsister...she is not eligible because she is NORMAL (well somewhat LOL)...if her custodial parent (me) were in jail, then yeah...it she was a foster child, living with AIDS, or I was living with AIDS, then yeah...If she had an IEP then yeah, call yourself and see...
I signed her up for the Freashairfund...I was told at the orientation "we really don't get requests for 12yearolds" as the prep school girls of the same age pranced around to help the poor underadvantaged kids...Big Kahuna saying "let me tell you what to do, give them activities they don't have often, face painting and games..." WHAT? OK whatever...
When moodmagicbarb was having issues, with her medicade (I refuse to pay out the ass for health insurance...though it's "better" I find the treatment is much the same-plus its my tax dollars at work) the only way I could get her counseling is if we went to the psyc. ward and went the inpatient route...the SW didn't feel her issues were serious enough to warrant treatment. Her Dr. who I love dearly, told us to come back in six months...Thank God we have a strong fam and we worked with her and were able to come through the other side...
moodmagicbarb has had a horrible year in middle school (I will go into details at another time). To make a really long story short, she and a teacher got into a personality conflict. This teacher who teaches her weakest subject, math, decided at some point to destroy her self esteem. forward fast, I moved her to another class where she does not have this teacher, but he continues to harass her in the halls...I told the director that if he does not stop there will be police action. I told the region, but because its a school is in the hood, they don't care...they will not believe the word of children (who are witnesses to this teachers behavior) over the word of a "quality" teacher. I can't even transfer her to another school- she does not fit the criteria for transfer... WHATEVER...
So it's not about being a martyr, but protecting mine, and making sure they are ready to face a world that does not give a fuck about them, giving them love cause they are NOT going to get it out there...I pick up the slack when I can because right now I am the strong one...they in turn will do it for tunner and the other young ones coming up.
pita and choclahontas didn't want to pay the ten dollars a day, so they cleaned...when I walked in from work, pita had CLEANED the house my way! choclahontas even cleaned her room and realized that she needs more storage space...ikea here we come...great, an excuse to shop.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hang in there with your middle-schooler. You've really taken steps to keep her progressing. It's pretty sad that it would take police action to protect your child from a teacher in her own school. I'm sorry to hear you and she have to deal with this. That teacher's behavior is appalling! I hate to think what his underlying problems are, and he's teaching children!

Hey, good job with the "tenants", LOL. That must have been nice to come home to. I'm sure in time they will notice how nice it is to be sorted out. :)