My World and Welcome to It!

These are my thoughts and opinions about life in general. I also get daily prompts from DSP which inspire me to write. If I throw in some scrapbook pages I've done, photos I've taken, and stories about me, you will have an idea about my loony life!

Monday, February 04, 2008

Standing Up for What is Right

Blog Prompt: Rosa Park’s birthday. She is the one during who refused to sit in the back of the bus just because of her race. Have you ever stood up for something you felt was right? Or do you know someone who has? Tell about this.

Last year I had a 17 year old tenth grade student with down's syndrome pull the fire alarm at school. He has never done anything like this before so I was really shocked to find out that he did it. This was the second year I had him and thought he was actually doing well in my classroom so I felt responsible when this happened. I was in the process of teaching him job skills and he was working for the janitor sweeping the main hall way when he decided to pull the alarm and was caught on video. The principal was so mad that she wanted him arrested. I know that he knew it was wrong but I really believed that he didn't understand the consequences so I was upset about the thought of him being arrested. The boy's mother was super supportive of everything I've done for her son and I hated for her to have to deal with his being arrested. Luckily, after lots of talking to the assistant principal and the school resource officer, they agreed with me that he should not be arrested. Of course, this put me at the top of the principal's bad list!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sometimes we just have to stand up no matter what the consequences are. Good for you.

Tammy said...

And what would the arrest of that poor child accomplish?? Nothing. Good for you!!! And I betchya, he won't ever do anything like that again. Don't you think he was just curious??

Sandra said...

He's lucky to have had you in his corner. You took the flack, but your professional opinion is as good as theirs...I'm glad you stood up to THE POWERS THAT BE.

Momma Byrd said...

What??? Why not focus on a student with true behavior problems? Exceptional kids & adults need to be dealt with in grace and love not force and anger. I'm sure your love toward him taught him far more than an arrest ever would have.

Stephani said...

I support your decision 100%. Arresting him would have solved nothing. Congrats on stepping up and doing the right thing regardless of the consequences. It is to bad that the principal didn't see it that way as well.