Suspended

I was feeling pretty confident this morning when I left A's school.  I'd sat down with the principal and school counselor and explained to them a bit about what's going on in his life, how well behaved he is for us, and that the next 48 hours were going to be huge for him.

I thought I had won a tacit compromise that they'd help him get through the next couple days, and then go from there.  Apparently, they were only willing to compromise so far...

Jason called around 3:00 to let me know that when he picked up A he'd been notified that he was Suspended.  

Jason got all the details, but I asked A in person what happened when Charlie and I got home from piano and he told me, "I got angry."

According to his teacher: "A asked to play with dominoes during writing. I asked him to work on writing for 2 minutes and once he completed that he would be able to play with the dominoes. He responded by kicking his desk, throwing pencils at me, tapping other students on the head, throwing all the books out of the reading center, trying to run out of the classroom door, picking up chairs trying to throw them, and screaming."

So...while his response wasn't very detailed, it was at least accurate.

Obviously his behavior was inexcusable, but for a little boy who's been taken out of his own home, moved from foster home to hospital to foster home to foster home to foster home to foster home, back and forth with and without his siblings, overheard his apathetic caseworker tell someone that he's going "home" January 6th (when in reality he may be going to live with his grandfather) it's not surprising.

His consequence is going to be braving the DMV with me tomorrow (I have to go after 10 am so they can call the El Paso probate court in order to change the title on my car, and since I won't be at work, now is the time).  If that's not a severe enough punishment, I don't really know what is.

And then I guess we just see what happens in court.  It's shocking to realize this sweet boy's whole future may rest on the decision of one man tomorrow.

Thankfully, though I have no idea what will happen tomorrow or in the days and years to come...Someone does.

Remember the former things of old;

for I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like me,

declaring the end from the beginning

and from ancient times things not yet done,

saying, "My counsel shall stand,

and I will accomplish all my purpose.

Isaiah 46:9-10