Entry for May 12, 2006

A little background.  My son Aaron was pushed down to the ground in the hallway of his school.  According to the counselor I spoke with, the child then proceeded to kick Aaron.  A female student then proceeded to drag himm around the hallway by his legs.  This was all a week ago from Thursday, yesterday.  I searched my soul for this past week, and finally decided to press charges.  I would like to explain to these childrens' parents why.

First to the child of the boy.  Sir, Mr Neil explained to me your reaction when you learned what your son had done.  I appreciate your apology, sir.  I will prefer to think the best of  all people, so I will believe that you did not raise your son in this manner.  Sir, an interesting thing you may want to ask your son is why he decided to assault a child smaller and slower developmentally from him.  Sometimes, peer pressure can be a very powerful influence on children.  I only hope that something posotive can come out of this for both you and you son.  Maybe this can serve as a wake-up call to your son regarding how to treat other people, and the consequences of his actions.  As for you, sir, this means  you will have to keep a more careful eye on your son.  Unfortunately, no matter how many times we tell a son something, inevitably, they are going to  make their own mistikes.  As fathers, it is imcumbant on us to be more vigilant of our sons and make sure they continue down the correct path. 

Now for the mother of the girl.  Mr Neil characterized your demeanor as hostile and defiant.  Ma'am, if that is true, I will paray for you.  If you are reclaiming why is the school picking on your child, you should be asking why your child has so much attention from the faculty.  It has been my experience that children garner special attention from school if they are very good, or very bad.  The fact that you are accusing the administration leads me to believe it is the latter.  Ma'am, as a mother, you have a unique position in this world.  You have a much greater influence on your child than any other adult.  So what kind of example are you setting when you are incredulous to the schools concerns, and instead turn your daughter into the victim.  There are witnesses who can corroborate the assault.  You are setting up your daughter for failure if you keep forgiving her actions and blaming everyone else for them.  She needs to learn responsibility and accountability.  Personally, I feel it would be better if she learned it form you rather than from the legal system.  Ma'am, please don't feel that I am attacking you.  I am simply stating my opinion.  You are more than free to oppose them, and if I am way off base about this, I apologize.  I welcome the opportunity to for a meeting together where we can hopefully engage in a positive discourse and you can present to me your side.

To both, I apologize to have to put you through the legal system.  If there were some other way, I would seek it.  The bottom line is I have to consider my son's health and safety.  One misplaced kick or accidental blow as he was being dragged could have easily had more serious and horrific consequences.  I can't live with the fact that my son could have been more seriously injureed.  The fact that he wasn't doesn't diminish the actions of your children.  Aaron is, by all accounts, one of the smallest children in his class.  His mental and social development is not as advanced as your childrens'.  In short, for whatever reason,  they chose the weakest to pick on.  That my be ok in the animal kingdom, where it is survival of the fittest, BUT WE ARE NOT ANIMALS.  Our children are not and neither are we.  Our society has rules and it has consequences.  Your children need to understand that and the other children need to understand that they can not pick on my son without consequences.  I'm sorry for whatever pain this causes your family, but it is the only decision I could make.