AYKM: Keep Your Hands to Yourself!

Yesterday, my mom called me and told me about a situation that happened at a school around here involving someone that she knows. We'll call this woman Beth. Beth has a 7 year old daughter that we'll name Michelle.

Apparently, Michelle was at school the other day and was in the bathroom. Another little girl came into the bathroom and knocked on the stall door and demanded to be let in. Michelle said no and that she was going to the bathroom. The other little girl then crawled underneath the stall door and began choking Michelle. I guess that a teacher walking by heard the commotion and broke the girls up. After a short discussion in the principal's office, he sent the girls back to class. Beth was called to come to school to discuss the incident.

Beth, of course, was outraged. Police were never called and the other little girl was not disciplined at all. She did not receive a detention, suspension, or expulsion. And, when asked why she did it, she responded that she didn't know and that she just wanted to be friends with Michelle.

Michelle is now terrified to be alone, as can be expected. At 7 years old, this little girl has experienced a trauma that no girl should ever have to experience.

There are so many parts of this story that make my blood boil. First of all, what is going on in this little girl's life for her to learn to choke another person? She, very obviously, needs to be in some sort of counseling to manage her anger. Second, the school did absolutely nothing about it. There was no punishment for the other little girl. She was simply sent back to class. Beth was told that the school could not call the police because a weapon wasn't involved. Beth could file a report if she chose to however. The other little girl was choking Michelle to the point where she couldn't breathe. If that teacher hadn't been walking by, Michelle could be dead.

Stories like this make me not want to have children. It is so hard to know that our children will have to grow up in a world like this. This story was also the final push (that I didn't really need, by the way) to move out of this school district. I do not like where our children would be going to school if we continue to live here. And, while I know that problems with children exist in every school, the way that a school handles the situation differs. I AM NOT OK WITH HOW THE SCHOOL HANDLED THIS SITUATION.

I pray that Michelle can overcome this unfortunate situation. And I pray that the other little girl gets the help that she so desperately needs.