Saturday Story - July 18, 2020

Saturday Story - July 18, 2020

Dear Blog Readers I am trying to ‘spice’ up my blogs a little with some creative fiction writing.  So, here is my blog of July 18, 2020

*****

Denise Watkins was the principal at Ridge Road Elementary School in North Haven Connecticut.  She was an active principal - always in the hall, always saying hi to the students, always encouraging and positive to the teachers and staff.  

She had noticed Rene Timmons the last two years as she entered as a Kindergarten student, and then into First Grade.  Rene was a sweet black girl, but very quiet.  In Kindergarten she seemed to have some friends for recess.  But, by First Grade she seemed reticent and alone.  Denise asked Rene’s First Grade teacher, Rachel Hopkins to keep her eye on Rene.  

Rachel caught up with Denise in the hall a few days later.

“Hi Denise”, Rachel started, “I think there might be something going on with Rene’s home life.  And, I suspect that she is the target of some bullying here at school and maybe at home too.”

Denise asked Rachel to keep her eye on Rene and see if there was bullying.  One of the bigger first grade boys was taunting Rene - calling her stupid and dumb.  A few days later on the playground, Denise found the boy, a black boy named Micheal.  She called Micheal over to talk to him.  Like always, Denise encouraged Micheal to talk and was trying to build rapport with Micheal.  She knew Micheal’s older sister, LaTasha - now in Fourth Grade - and a good student (and maybe a bit of a social butterfly).  Denise asked Micheal about his sister and how things were going.  She complimented him on his shirt (a LeBron James basketball shirt) and Micheal blushed a little.  And, she eased into the bullying issue.  

“Hey Micheal, you seem to be really smart and popular.” (Micheal blushed again). “I’ve heard some of the other boys seem to be picking on some of the girls.” (the indirect approach frequently worked with first graders) “You know, calling some of the girls stupid and dumb and maybe even pushing them when you are in line for lunch or recess.  Have you seen that happen?” 

Micheal seemed to think about that.  “I’m not sure I’ve seen that Mrs. Walkins” was his answer.  

Denise continued “You know Micheal that I want you to be the best young man in Ms. Hopkin’s class.” (then she worked to the issue) “Micheal, I’m concerned about Rene Timmons.  I think some of the boys can be picking on her - can you make sure for me that nobody calls Rene any names or bullies her?” (Then she added the little guilt trip). “I know you want to be a good example for the other boys, and I want you to be nice to all the other students, can you do that for me Micheal?”  

Micheal nodded “Yes Ma’am.  I’ll be nice to Rene and the other girls”.  

Denise gave the friendly-but-not-crossing-the-line side hug to Micheal.  She said “Thank you Micheal, I know you can help me with this”.  She turned her smile to Micheal.

After school, she stopped by Rachel Hopkins class to pass on her motivation of Micheal.

Rachel laughed “I saw you talking with him at lunch on the playground.  And, all afternoon, he has been a model student.”

Denise asked “Did he say anything to Rene?” 

Rachel was thinking, “Nothing that I noticed, but I’ll keep my eye on her.”

*****

Rene struggled a little with reading - and a community volunteer read with her in the Literacy Partners program and seemed to be making progress.  But, after Christmas, Rachel Hopkins noticed that Rene was becoming more withdrawn.  Quietly, she looked at Rene’s legs and arms and saw what could be scratches but also could be signs of abuse.  She tried to be extra supportive of Rene, giving praise frequently.  She also told Denise Watkins about the marks.

Like most states, Connecticut had a law that if a teacher suspects abuse, they are to report it to the appropriate authorities.  Rachel and Denise both watched Rene closely for bruises and other marks.  One Monday, Rachel noticed a big bruise on Rene’s right arm.

Rachel asked “Rene, did you hurt yourself?” and she pointed to the bruise.

Rene flushed red and stammered “I fell”.  Rachel asked “Are you sure?  How are things at home?”  Rene couldn’t hold it back any longer.  “Not good, Jimmy is beating my mommy and me”.  Rachel hugged the little girls and gave her a tissue for her eyes and nose.  She passed the information on to Denise.  

A week later, Rene came in with a bruise on her cheek.  Rachel Hopkins did have some papers to send to the office and asked Rene if she could take them to Ms. Timmons, the Principal.  She put a Post-It note on the top - “For Ms. Timmons from RJH”.  The teachers and Denise Timmons had a code.  When a teacher put her full initials on a document being sent to the front office, Mary Czechek was to make sure that it wasn’t something that she (as school secretary was to handle.  

Denise Watkins was busy on the phone when Rene brought the papers in, so Mrs. Czechek had her wait in a chair.  Knowing that students in the principal's office would have wild ideas in their heads, Mrs. Czechek had some old papers on a shelf behind her desk and asked Rene if she could help sort the papers by numbers in the upper right corner.  There were only twenty pages and even first graders should be able to sort them out.  Mrs. Czechek moved Rene to a small desk in the corner of the office where she could spread the papers out and sort them.

It turned out just right.  As Rene was finishing putting the last sheet in its place, Denise Walkins came out of her office and Mrs. Czechek passed on the papers that Rachel Hopkins had sent - with the code RJH on them.  

Turning to Rene Timmons, Denise Watkins took the papers from her and thanked her for bringing them to the office.  Denise motioned to two chairs on the side of the room.  “How about we sit over their Rene?”  

Rene nodded.

Denise brought over a jar of gummy worms and said “Take as many as you want.” Rene took two.

Denise complimented Rene “I hear your reading is getting better.  Do you have a community volunteer read with you?”

Rene said “Yes, I like her.”

Denise “What are your favorite books?”

Rene thought a little “I’m not sure, but I like the Pigeon books”.

Denise laughed - “Yes, like the Pigeon wants to drive the Bus, or The Pigeon wants a Puppy.  I like those too!!!”

Rene smiled.

It was now time to get serious.  This was a delicate time.

Denise started “I’m thinking you have a little brother at home?  Does he go to school yet?”

Rene said “No, he is only two, but Mom drops him off at daycare when she goes to work.”

Denise asked “Do you go to daycare after school?”

Rene answered “Yes Ma’am”.

Denise tried to put a thoughtful face on.  “Do you go to the ‘Green Orchard’ daycare?”

Rene said “No, my brother and I go to the daycare at Gospel Hope Church”.

Denise smiled “I've been to Gospel Hope for Sunday worship a few times. I like their singing”.

Rene laughed “It is good.” and added “and loud”!!

Denise laughed too “Yes, it is enthusiastic!!”  She then put her worried look on her face.  Approaching abuse, she wanted her body language to say “love and concern” to go while she asked about the abuse.

Denise Watkins said “Oh my Rene - do you have some dirt on your arm?” and pointed to the big bruise on her right arm.  

Instinctively, Rene tugged on her sleeve, but couldn’t quite cover the bruise. 

Denise continued “And, is that a bruise on your cheek, honey?”

Rene was stymied.  

Denise bent over and put all of her compassion into her body language and voice and asked quietly.  “Has somebody been hurting you?”

Rene nodded yes.

Denise asked “Is it your mother?”

Rene shook her head as a “no”

Denise asked “Is it your daddy?”

Rene said “I don’t have a daddy.  It's Mommy’s friend Jimmy.  He has hit me when he said I was being naughty, but I wasn’t being naughty.   I was just playing with Lukas, my brother.”   

Denise tried to sneak up on the subject of abuse.  “Does Jimmy live with you?”

Rene nodded yes.

Denise continued “Is Jimmy a nice man”.

Rene almost imperceptibly shook her head and a small voice said “no”.

Okay thought Denise.  We have the culprit.  But the statements of a child won’t hold up in court.  She would have to report this to the Department of Family and Protective Services office. But, Denise had been around that block.  DFPS just didn’t have enough staff to handle the case load. Denise also knew that when government funds got tight, the government cut social services first.  Her brain was hearing the voice of Senator Timothy Dalton saying “those programs never do any good anyway”.  Just hearing those words in her head almost made her blood boil.

Denise tenderly asked Rene “Can I ask Mrs. Smith to look you over?” Mrs. Karen Smith was the school nurse.  Rene nodded her assent. 

Together they walked to the nurse’s office.  Denise tried to keep the tone light.  “Today the cafeteria is serving spaghetti.  Do you like spaghetti Rene? Rene nodded yes.  “But probably my favorite lunch is when they have pizza.  Do you like pizza, Rene?” This time, Rene’s nod was happier. 

Rene volunteered “My favorite is sausage pizza.” 

At the nurse’s office, Karen Smith and Denise Watkins carefully examined Rene’s bruises and marks.  Karen took pictures for documentation.  When Rene’s shirt was off she had marks and cuts on her back.  

But, the real proof came when Karen asked Rene to pull down her panties.  Karen said “Rene, you have such pretty panties.  I like pink, do you?” Rene nodded yes.  “Can I check down there for bruises?”  Again, Rene nodded yes.

Rene had a bruise on her vagina.  Karen Smith then asked gently, does Jimmy touch you there.  Rene’s head was so low and she barely nodded yes.

Denise Watkins and Karen Smith knew they were getting enough of a case.  Karen took pictures of the bruises and cuts on her buttocks.  

Karen said softly “Thank you for being such a good patient, Rene.  You can put your clothes back on now.

Both Denise and Karen complimented Rene on how helpful she was.  Denise took Rene back to her office and got three more gummy worms out for her.  But, don’t eat them in class.  You can eat them at lunch or recess.”  

Then Denise walked Rene Timmons back to her first grade class.

**********

Okay, a touching and tough story.  There is abuse and bullying in probably every community, and teachers see examples almost daily.  This story will go on - as Denise Watkins reports this to the Department of Family and Protective services.  Because of the sexual abuse, this case would get a priority and would get a case worker.  

So what are the take-aways for us from this story?

Don’t go looking for abuse, but when you see substantial abuse do document it and report it.

Schools have children that need help.  Many schools in the Central Texas area are connected with Literacy Partners - an outreach coalition of churches that supports volunteers who go into the schools and read with students.  The research shows that students who don’t read by third grade will have trouble in schools and with a higher probability will drop-out, turn to drugs and crime.  If you have time, see if your community has a program when you can read with First Grade students.  

And, a bias take-away.  In this time of COVID-19, but really all the time, not enough dollars are allocated for child and protective care agencies.  These are families that can “fall between the cracks” and need help.  

Likewise, in a similar vein, mental health facilities are getting booked because of the pandemic.  Support the funding for these programs.  Yes, a lot of the fund go to social workers - but they need to make a reasonable salary and be able to be active and carrying people in our communities.

So, on a down “story” for today, I still say “Smile, Love Will Win” and “Hugs”!!!

Karen