The lice saga continues at the Sweetie household. I have seen mom and Sweetie #1 twice a week for the last several weeks, each time sending her home with various amounts of nits, continuing to enforce our 1996 lice policy that I don't for a second believe in. It doesn't get easier, and I can't hide the fact that I don't believe in what I'm doing.
However, today was particularly shocking for two reasons:
1. Mom informed me that Ms. Meanie - who I tend to avoid contact with - had the audacity to call Sweetie #2 into her classroom to check her. Yes, that's right: a teacher called a student into her classroom, a student that was not hers and one that had already been cleared to return, to see if she could find any nits. She failed (hah!), and Sweetie #2 has been in school much more than her sister, but still. Doesn't a teacher have something better to do than worry about nits on a child's head that she doesn't even see? Not to mention the fact that doing so was in essence second-guessing my own lice checker's work.
I hate to feel like a tattle-tale but I felt obligated to go to the principal with this one, even though he is beyond sick of dealing with lice issues. We agreed the act was completely excessive and inappropriate and he'll be speaking with Ms. Meanie.
2. The mom was complaining that Ms. Meanie, on her daughter's first progress report, was expecting to send her to second grade. I could tell she was upset about this, which seemed odd, and she explained: "With my daughter having missed so much school this year, there's no way she's going to be ready for second grade."
I'll agree with her on that point. In my head, though, all I could think was this: "Excuse me? You're thinking you should hold your daughter back because YOU couldn't clean your house and her hair properly?" I know our policy is outdated and stupid, but still, get your kid to school. By all accounts, including Ms. Meanie's, Sweetie #1 is not lacking in the intelligence department. But, missing as much school as she has, she's falling behind and mom plans to request to hold her back. I find this so sad I didn't even want to put it into words and make it real.
Tomorrow is Judgement Day where I have the pleasure of presenting my proposed updates to the lice policy tomorrow. I'm going armed with resources that explain the reasoning behind it, but I can't say I have much faith in the school system to actually get this changed.
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I understand your frustration with lice. I lived in a household like "sweetie's" I always had lice and always got sent home. The best way to deal with Mrs. Meenie is exactly how you are doing it. Take it to the principal, he/she is the only person that can handle it. (Even though it stinks being a tattle-tale. If I were on the school board that you are talking to I would vote for your policy change. It not only affects the child's learning, but their social life too. Kids will make fun of someone or not be friends with them because of them having lice. My heart goes out to those two sweet children. You have my respect for fighting for what you believe. Stay strong and don't stop trying just because you were turned down once. Persistence is key. That's how change is made. Stubborn people who refuse to back down. :)
ReplyDelete"Stubborn people who refuse to back down."
ReplyDeleteAt last, my stubbornness might do something good!
Thank you SO much for the kind words. :)