Nicolette had a fight with another girl at school last week. She was given a three-day in-school suspension, while the other girl received a three-day at-home suspension.
Problem solved, right?
This morning, after asking me if I had decided to register her in the system to start paying for her New York City trip (I already told her and her teacher that I was going to do it Friday, but my gut was telling me to wait until Monday to decide), Maya or Angela found Nicolette's SUMMONS to appear in COURT!
Apparently, a school officer gave it to her when the fight took place, but she failed to tell me and her father. She was going to wait until I registered her for the trip, or probably wouldn't have given me the summons at all! I am glad that the girls found it and gave it to me now, instead of never receiving it, missing the court date, and a warrant would have been issued for her ARREST!
Nicolette claims that she was acting in self-defense. Whoever handled this apparently thought so, too, that's why she got an in-school suspension. But the fact of the matter is, she could have handled this better than she did. Instead of letting the teachers know that the girl was harassing her, she decided to take matters into her own hands.
What is wrong with tweens and teens? I ask her EVERY DAY "How was school?" and "Is anyone harassing you?" and her answer is always "Fine," and "No." I asked her why she didn't tell me or her dad what was going on, she says, "I don't know." I have to ask her these questions, since she is still seeing the therapist for her ADD, and I have to report her behavior to him. I told her that we cannot help her if she doesn't tell us anything! And I feel that I have more than proven to her that I will be there for her, whatever happens! She shouldn't have to feel like she has to handle these things herself!
And guess how much the fine will be if she is charged? $308 DOLLARS!!!!!! Where in the heck am I going to get that kind of money from?!? And I already put in off for that weekend (Saturday and Sunday, to go to New Orleans), so today I had to ask for another vacation day to go with her to court on Monday! WTH?!?
Ironically, this is the same girl who made the HONOR ROLL this semester all by herself (she is going on a special school trip for honor roll students on Friday; I had to spot her about $20), and has been chosen as an "understudy" for the Christmas "Nutcracker" play.
I chose not to register her for the trip to New York. How the heck am I going to scratch together $308 only heaven knows. But she did get her spending money, and a pair of boots that I promised her. Rewards and punishment all in one stroke. I have THREE girls, Lord. Am I going to make it?!?
Adrian
4 comments:
the same way the resto of us do...by the skin of our teeth! LOL
Becky
oh my you poor thing, I have 2 girls and a son. I'm not sure which is harder. I hope you don't have to pay for that fine. It's a lot of money. Hugs and love.
I wonder the same thing with my 4 if I am going to make it!
Tick or treat! Stop by my place!
~Happy Halloween!~
Sharon
http://journals.aol.com/buggieboo1/ImASurvivor/entries/2007/10/27/trick-or-treat-thru-j-land/2835
I had to skip down to find this entry as I read one above and wondered what had happened.
I remember growing up, my mum always said to me that if someone was being mean to tell the teacher but that if someone hit me to hit them back harder. I wonder what she'd say to all this? I do think a court summons is a little extreme, surely all of this could have been handled by the school??? I don't know, is that the system that you guys have in the US?
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