Update on the School Situation

So I get home from class at 5pm & find a voicemail on my cell phone from the principle of the school. Charge can't go back tomorrow--I kind of figured something like this would happen. I'm now doing 2 things relating to this issue:

1. Trying to find care for Charge during the hours I am attending class at the local university.

2. Trying to get Charge's explusion changed to a suspension.

The first one I'm not too worried about. The second one I'm not sure that I'll be successful at. Don't get me wrong, I believe that expulsion is necessary in certain situations-(bringing a weapon to school, bomb threats, significant acts of aggression, etc.) I do not believe that this situation requires expulsion of Charge or Other Child. I got the question today "Why are you so concerned about this?" There's a few reasons for my concern in this situation:

a. We teach Charge to stand up for herself. If she sees the person who is responsible for her while her mother is away-(that'd be me)-just sit on the sidelines & not stand up for her in a situation where I feel she was wronged, what is that teaching her? I am a firm believer that children emulate the behavior they see from those that they respect. Maybe I'm giving myself too much credit here, but I've been with Charge for 3 years. She does respect me and I am a role model for her-in my opinion.

b. This will go on her permanant record. The societal stigma for expulsion versus suspension is vastly different in this area. In addition, I feel that expulsion was overkill in this situation--for both children involved. I understand that what the other child said is considered a death threat under the current school system policy. I also know that a 6 year old is not likely to come up with that out of the blue, nor do I believe that this will be an isolated incident. This child needs help, by essentially getting rid of him and & sweeping the problem under the rug, he can very easily fall through the cracks and that can have devestating effects in the future. He needs to know that somebody cares enough to give a damn about his wellbeing. Is that the school's issue? I'm not sure. But I do believe that it would be in everybody's best interest to take the necessary steps involved in getting the intervention ball rolling.

c. The last reason is personal. I am personally invested in this situation. Every step I take in this situation reflects on me professionally. Charge's mother has entrusted her care, both physically and emotionally, in me while she is away. I do not take that trust for granted. I am not in any way related to Charge, but yet I have been given the job of caring for her despite the numerous family members that in the same town Charge and I do. That is no small decision on Charge's mother's part, and I take my job seriously. Some might say too seriously, but I would rather do more than enough instead of nothing at all.

I'm off to make more phone calls. Wish me luck.