Chapter 4 - You’re going to be ok!

May 27^th, 2008 was a beautiful day.  Sunny and 75 degrees, it was my last day of Bible study before summer break.  The kids had about a week left in school and I was looking forward to convincing my husband to let us home school next year.  He was almost there; I knew I could convince him this summer.  It had not mattered how many times I brought it up, Drason was not going to agree to let me start homeschooling until next year.  We talked about curriculum, we talked about sports, we talked about socialization, and it all came down to this, we were going to finish this year out first. 

As I sat in my ladies Bible study, I related my homeschooling revelation to my friends who cried and hugged me and congratulated me, but as we broke into our small groups I had this terrible feeling that something was wrong. 

The longer the speaker spoke, the worse it became.  I found it difficult to concentrate on what she was saying and I just could not shake the feeling.  I quietly excused myself from class and called Drason at work.  “I know this sounds crazy, but I feel like something is really wrong.”  I felt foolish even saying the words to him.  We talked for a few minutes until Drason finally said “Well, why don’t you go out to the school and check. I feel it too.”  That was all I needed to hear.  I flew out of the church and hopped into our Suburban.  I called the school on the way to ask if everything was ok.  The secretary sounded surprised and asked if the teacher had already called me.  “Why?”  I asked. 

She asked if I was on my way and I assured her I would be there in less than 10 minutes. 

Macguines greeted me in the parking lot. This is a very odd thing to have happen at a public school.  He was 8 years old, outside of the building, in the parking lot! As I hugged him I realized that he had been crying and his tears had streaked though some face paint.  Moments later his teacher ran up, breathless and angry.  I do not know what look was on my face, but she immediately began explaining.

“We told him not to get off the wall for the rest of the day!” (it was a little after 11am)  “He is not allowed to participate in the fun because of his behavior”  (I realize there are bounce houses and fun activities happening around the side of the school) 

“He was kicking rocks into the trash bin with another boy and the rocks hit one of the cars in the parking lot and scratched it”  (Oh really, why was my child in the parking lot…) 

I was so angry I could not speak.  This winter had been particularly cold and snowy, causing more than the allotted snow days to be taken.  Today was supposed to be the end of the year fun day, even though school would still technically be in session for another 12 days.  Macguines hadn’t said a word; he was just hugging my waist and crying.  I ignored the lecturing woman and knelt down to him.  “Get in the car, don’t get out no matter what, ok?”  He nodded, the windows were down, and he climbed in my side and through to the back seat.  I locked the doors and faced the woman. 

“You can’t just leave with him!”  She started. 

My voice was clear and cold.  “Can’t I? Come with me.”  I began walking towards the school and up to the office.  The woman followed.  I advised the secretary and the woman that I would be removing my child from the school, permanently.  The woman rolled her eyes.  “Go and get me his things, now.”  She stopped rolling her eyes and left.  The secretary fetched the principle, she began explaining things again.

“So what you are telling me is that my child was unattended, in a parking lot, twice today?”  I replied

The principle stuttered.  The woman returned with a bag of belongings and I left.

Macguines climbed up to the passenger seat and began relaying his day.  He was crying and I was crying. I pulled over and when I saw a sign by the road that said ‘Christian Home Educators of Ohio’ I pulled in and turned off the car.  Macguines was still upset, but agreed to come in with me for a minute. 

Once inside, the office was busy and humming.  I had obviously been crying, as had Macguines, and a kind woman came over and asked us how she could help.  I briefly explained that I had removed my son from school, I had no idea what to do, and I was afraid of going to jail because my son would be truant, missing the last 12 days of school. 

“Well, you aren’t going to jail, you have to miss 14 days for that to happen” she informed me. 

As we sat under a tree outside she walked me through all the legal requirements of homeschooling and encouraged me to keep listening to God’s voice. Macguines had calmed down and was playing under a tree with some matchbox cars.  We talked through a thousand questions and I began to feel calmer. 

One CHEO membership and convention pass later, she assured me “You can do this! You are going to be ok!” She was right; we were going to be ok!