Speaking Up

So I found myself yet again behind the eight ball; I was slotted to present second on a two-speaker bill for our local task force today.

Speaker one went way over; I tossed my script out the window.

What was most important for me to get across to my audience is this: I am not sure what it will take to get the school districts to get community buy-in for inclusion. But I do know that, because I swallowed my pride, admitted wrong, weakness, and yes, vulnerability, I have people watching my kids' back, watching my back, and a good chunk of them I have never met or made acquaintance with.

I have the neighbor girl knocking on my door and letting me know when Nic is having trouble at school.

I have a few kids keeping tabs on Nic on the bus and letting the principal know if there are problems. And she lets me know.

So my message, in summing up the bitch kitty throw down and its consequences and in the multiple calls I have received about Nic since school started, is that I want people to keep building their coalitions--we do this anyway, but keep doing it, because it is doing good, even if it's not readily apparent. Keep connecting other parents to resources. Keep supporting one another.

It's not just about my kids--it's about ALL of the kids.

It takes a village to raise a child. It always did, and it always will.