Dear editor,
Recently, while substitute-teaching a second-grade special education class, I asked a girl student if she needed to remove her heavy coat. Eventually she did, and it revealed big holes in her dress and full leg socks. After class I asked a regular teacher about this student.
She immediately responded, “Does she need a bath?” I answered, “No, but her clothing has holes.”
This teacher said they have sent clothes home with her, but they never see them again. Later that day, I saw this beautiful child in the hallway and had to hide my tears, but I can’t erase it from my heart.
Should the elementary school create an in-school changing station for those with ragged and torn clothing, similar to extra clothing for bathroom accidents?
A continuation of a child arriving at school with questionable dress and lack of personable cleanliness would warrant a meeting with parents and a school official. No improvement gets a child welfare intervention call. Can you imagine the low ?self-esteem that is snowballing in this child?
Mike Sawyer
Substitute public school teacher grades pre-K to 12 with a
12.5% white district enrollment
Master of Divinity, B.S., Social Science
i@amblessed.com
