I have tried to keep pretty confidential here. I have seen too many times that the world is a tiny place. However, I am going to take a leap of faith and tell a story that will explain part of my incredible stress right now. My spouse was charged with claiming a false residence to avoid paying tuition to a school outside of our district.
My son was assaulted, harrassed and bullied beyond belief at this school. We asked the school how they would protect our kids and they did not respond. So, our girls went to a different school and my spouse was charged with criminal offenses relating to this with a max of 35 years in prison. He did a plea and he has 5 years probation and has to pay back $16,000 in restitution. It is all very involved. Both girls have special needs and my son developed cancer less then a year after this whole horrible thing happened to him. A few months before the cancer was diagnosed our foster daughter died suddenly. It has been hell for over 5 years now. he has been cited for violation of his probation and has to go back to court because he is not paying the money fast enough. He is a year into his 5 year probation. Would we had the money to pay back, would we had the money to buy oil so we could keep warm. He lost his job due to this and now works for 1/2 the pay. He does however like his job.
Until my severe depression last spring I had considered taking a second job. I have all I can do to do one job. My husband works as much as he can. All he did was try to protect his kids. Our son is diagnosed with PTSD now, in part because of what happened to him at this horrid school. My daughters are incredible people and through our very limited school choice for 9th-12th grade have done very well in our school of choice. My senior is 4th in her class. The school where my son was abused did nothing to take responsibility and corrective action about what happened to him. He is a second year dean's list college student at this time. He works, is well respected and rents his own home. Why do I say all of this? it is hurting me. I got in my car today and my work cell went off and it was someone from another agency I work with asking if I were okay. I was confused and said yeah, why? She said there was an article in today's paper. The day went down hill from there. The article even had a bunch of false information in it. It hurts a lot. We are really good people who are loving and do what is kind and humane in the world. I am quickly becoming unable to deal with this again and it scares me. I need to deal because I need to work and pay the mortgage and the tuition and the insurance and the..... Kids deserve to be kept safe!!! It is so fundamental. 6 kids were charged with assault against my son. 30 kids surrounded him after pulling the fire alarm and getting everyone outside. They called him a fag Jew and a Jew bastard. They threatened his life.
We tried to sell our home so we could move to a better school district, but with no success. We have paid for all of our kids to go to private school from k-6th, and then our senior went to a private school for 8, 9, 10, but we really paid very little as we could not and the school was a blessed community of loving people who shared our ideals. I put together computers for their students and completed heroic tasks of cleaning. (long story) But I am in a lot of pain and this is why. I am in a lot of pain and worry about money. For crying out loud, my son went back to his home today and took a grocery bag of food and I was worried that he was taking things that we needed here to feed the girls. I pretty much stopped eating for the most part so I am an easy keeper. My son should always be able to raid mom's cabinets. It really isn't any fun to be on the wrong side of the law.
Hubby was in the Wall Street Journal and USA today about this nonsense. And if that ain't enough, he called his aging parents, (we are late 40's) and asked them for $300 to tide us over for 3 weeks until we are paid again and they told him he had to get a better job. DUHHHHHHH. Like we don't know that. I hate that he had to ask but THEY HAVE IT. it doesn't end for us i am afraid. I do try to see the positive. Heck, I watched my tiny little senior girl wrestle this afternoon and was so impressed, not just with her but the love and support from her entire team and coach. She's a tiny little thing but I guess i won't wrestle her anytime soon.
So this is another piece of my life and it hurts so much. I drive a car I paid $500.00 for, my house is kept freezing to save on fuel, and we dry our clothes by hanging throughout the house. I sell bunnies and crafts and anything else I can dream up. I am feeling pretty down, does it show?
In addition to all of this, hubby was scheduled for a fairly routine urology procedure and has been called back because of EKG changes. He has had 3 open heart surgeries in the past and has a metal heart valve. I am sure it is basic stuff but it does make me worry.
Hope I have not depressed everyone too much.