E's Adventure with Suspension! (AKA : What NOT to do with a pencil... )
2003-12-04 at 2:11 p.m.
Okay, I promised I'd discuss what E had done to get suspended. Even though I still don't feel much like talking about it, I guess I should lay it out on the table. Maybe I'll feel better about it afterwards, but I doubt it.
E was in his classroom Monday morning. He was being defiant and disruptive, so a para was trying to assist him in leaving the classroom. The para was not his usual one, but is someone with whom E is familiar. E objected to leaving and began flailing his arms about, in defiance. He was holding a pencil at the time and inadvertantly poked the para in the eye with it.
The para had to be taken to the emergency room to have his eye x-rayed. The wound also required two stitches, just under the lower lid.
The principal felt it best that E stay home Tuesday. His teacher sent home several pages of work to complete and I had a list of household chores for him, as well. We didn't want him to think of it as a day off
E swears this was unintentional and that he's extremely sorry for what he's done. I couldn't stress enough to him the severity of Mr. M's injury and what could have happened, had it been a child E hurt. I had E write a very sincere apology note and hand deliver it. I also had K walk E into school Wednesday morning and verbally apologize. I hope we've impressed upon him the seriousness of his actions. Now that several days have passed, I'm getting over the fear of being sued and losing everything we own. I can't find words to tell E the "what-ifs" when it comes to the liability of such a stupid stunt. He's too young to understand the law and punitive damages. He's also too young not to go to school and say, "My mom's afraid you're going to sue us! By the way, we're building a home that costs $262,000!!"
Parenting didn't look like this in the brochures...