You Big Meanie!!

So I don't think I talked about this last week.  Gavin and I were on our way home from his first indoor game and was almost in tears.  For those of you who don't know alot about soccer, which is most of the country I'm sure, soccer can be a very physical sport.  Indoor soccer even more so because there are walls you can potentially get checked into.  Gavin often walks around with bruises all over him.  I'm honestly surprised Child Protective Services hasn't paid us a visit.

Gavin had a pretty physical game, so when I saw him tearing up, I asked him what was wrong, expecting to get a "nothing" from him.  Nothing's ever wrong with Gavin.  He's tough and rarely complains about anything.  I expected him to tell me that when he got checked into the Plexiglas it had hurt him.  What I got from was "my ribs hurt, this big fat kid at school hits me all the time".  Let's say his description of the boy who was hurting him was a little more explicit than what I just wrote.  I don't wanna offend anyone with the racist slur that came outta my kid's mouth, and normally I wouldn't tolerate him saying something like that, but since he was angry with the situation, I let it go right then and we talked about it the next day.

Apparently this boy sits next to Gavin in Art and Choir class and constantly hits him in the arm and ribs.  I asked how long it had been going on and Gavin said since the beginning of the school year.  WHAT???  When we got home, I had a look at the damage.  There were bruises all up his arm and all over his side.  I was PISSED to say the least.  I made Gavin write his name down on a piece of paper so I could remember it when I called the school the next day.

Let me side-note here for a minute.  Both my kids have pretty severe ADHD, which I'm sure I've mentioned before.  They both took Adderall for about 5-6 years, which pretty much stunted their growth, but kept their symptoms pretty well in check.  This past March (I think it was) they both asked to go off of their medication.  After talking with their doctor, we decided to let them do it, with the understanding that they would go back on the meds if they started to have problems. 

For those of you who don't know about Adderall, it's used as a weight loss drug in obese people, because for the normal person, it's basically speed.  For those with ADD and ADHD, it slows them down, but still keeps them from being very interested in eating.  After going off their meds, the boys have grown about 2 inches and gained around 15 pounds.  They're finally NOT the smallest kid in their grade.  Still though, they're "late bloomers", easy targets for bullies.

As I walked out the door the next morning, I assured Gavin that everything was going to be ok and I would take care of the problem.  As soon as I got to work, I called the school and left a message for the guidance counselor informing her of the situation.  She didn't call me back until about an hour later.  By then I was pissed because it had taken so long.  Turns out she was taking care of the situation before she called me.

When she called back she explained that she had called the assistant principal and the boy into her office.  Apparently the boys is "a little slow".  She went on to assure me that wasn't an excuse and the boy was not so retarded that he didn't know right from wrong.  He was read the anti-bullying section of the student handbook and suspended for 3 days.

Then she called Gavin down to her office to speak with him.  I guess they had a good talk and Gavin will be getting moved away from the boy in the two classes he has with him.  That makes me feel better.  She also went on to say that the boy's other teachers have been informed of the situation because Gavin probably isn't the only one that was suffering.  Also, if he retaliates in any way, I'm to call the school immediately or Gavin is to go down to the office and report it and the kid will be expelled.

I have to say, I'm impressed with their no tolerance policy.  Gavin came home a happier kid and even though I wanna beat the ever lovin shit outta this kid for laying a hand on mine, I guess justice was served.

Friday I got a call from the school nurse.  Gavin's science teacher sent him to the nurses office because his eye was swollen shut.  She called me so that I could talk to him and make sure it wasn't some sort of retaliation by the boy that was kicked out of school.  Gavin maintained it wasn't, there were just too many people trying to get into their lockers after lunch.  He put it like this "Mom, I'm surprised it hasn't happened more than this, elbows are flying all over the place out there".  I had to chuckle.  He didn't end up with a black eye, but it was swollen all weekend......