Within an hour of school starting I receive a strange call from my daughter's teacher directing me to come immediately to class. Do not check in with the office. She had no time to explain, but her tone sent chills down my spine. I raced from my office to the school fearful of what I would find.
The cheeriness of a kindergarten room greeted me. The smell of paste, text books, and sweaty children filled the air. Funny looking pumpkin art covered the wall behind the teacher's desk. The rosy-young teacher handed me a plastic bag filled with colored construction paper, told me not to open it until I was home, and asked me to take it home immediately. In fear I followed her instructions.
Upon my arrival at home, I sat at my kitchen table ready to unearth the horrors of the colorful bag. I gingerly opened the seal of the bag in an attempt to not disrupt the terror inside. Adrenaline filled my veins as if Pandora's box was poised to pew ungodly evil upon me. I slowly placed my hand inside the bag and pulled the paper out. I could feel the weight of something inside. I quickly unfolded the paper to find the most frightening thing a child could have, a weapon.
My sweet innocence kindergartner narrowly missed being expelled from school. The reason she was not is only because of her understanding and quick reacting teacher. A note inside explained the reason her teacher believed she had brought the knife to school. We all have wonderful children. Every single one of us, but not everything they do is wonderful. My child brought a knife to school.
Now, before you go into a panic or think my kid is a thug, allow me to set the scene. In October of 2008 my beautiful daughter was in kindergarten. Her teacher excitedly told the class they would be carving pumpkins in the classroom. My daughter, the most helpful of all classmates, was ready to help the cause. The next morning, without my knowledge, she placed a serrated steak knife in her bag and skipped happily to class. It made perfect sense to me and the teacher. She had no clue she had done anything wrong.
Unfortunately, it did not matter. None of it mattered. The law is the law. DO NOT PASS GO, DO NOT COLLECT $200. The teacher risked her career to ensure my daughter would not loose her spot in her class. Thankfully, the other students were ignorant of what my daughter had done. This was her saving grace. The teacher would have not choice but to turn my daughter in and the board abruptly forcing her to attend and alternative school.
In life we all have misunderstandings. Many are due to ignorance. If we spend a little time arguing each side of a story, even if you do not think it is the 'right' side, you may will find understanding and empathy. We do not all need to agree to have compassion for one another
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