I am absolutely speechless over something I witnessed. A middle school child I know came home from school yesterday in tears because her teacher had told her to empty out her desk at the end of the day.
She told the girl to leave any library books and any other things that were the property of the school on her desk.
When the child asked why, the teacher answered, I’m not allowed to tell you. Just put the things belonging to the school here and get on the bus.
Obviously the child fell apart. She didn’t know if she had done something wrong. She didn’t know if she was being expelled or what was happening.
It ends up that her mother had contacted the school yesterday and explained that she was moving to another town and taking her children with her. She advised the school that she and her children’s father were getting a divorce but not to tell the children.
With the exception of abuse, there is no reason why the situation should have been handled in this manner. Children’s feelings are so very important especially in the case of divorce.
Here is the part that blew me away: Nobody told the children anything. No attention was placed on the children’s needs or the appropriate way of telling them about the divorce.
As of this writing almost 24 hour later, the child still doesn’t know why she had to empty out her desk or that she will be moving away from her home, her school, her family, her pets and her father tomorrow because her parents are getting a divorce.
How could a parent or a teacher handle a fragile child in this manner?
Photo: Elizabeth Albert
