Observations of a High School Sub-driving with no license!

After asking several of the students about their week-end plans, I learned some were picking up others for various activities. I asked when they got their license. They sheepishly smiled and began to admit one by one that they didn't have their license! Some had permits, others had nothing. Yet they were taking parents' cars and picking up other students! Yikes! Any lecture I began to give was falling on deaf ears, so I won't bore you as well with those details!

One students said her parents were out of town...in fact out of the country...and she needed to drive herself around. Another student admitted taking the car keys without permission. Her single, exhausted working mom was sleeping. While yet another English-second-language-sweetest-girl-you-would-ever-meet, took one look at the test and said she couldn't comprehend it, so she left.

I had remembered one gal talking about her plans to get her license, as I looked at her and asked if she got hers? She quickly pulled me aside. She said she wanted to chat "privately" Her step dad is a drug addict. He makes promises to her younger siblings and gets their hopes up... but then he doesn't show for days disappointing everyone. She went on to explain how she and her mom try to protect them. This step dad was like a dad to her. And even though she knew better, she too got her hopes up... he promised he would take her to the DMV to get her license. She waited all day, another no show. As she shared this with me, It was apparent it wasn't just her younger siblings who had to deal with the disappointment of un-kept promises. "I just drive without one" she stated.

So all of us trained, licensed drivers out there.... be careful! I have learned there are more unlicensed teen drivers on the road than I was aware of! Just another scary observation of a High School Sub!

Observations of a High School Sub-pregnant...again!

This morning, before class began, a young lady asked how long someone could wait before they could get an abortion. The bell rang and students began to file in, we had a brief conversation, but I knew I would need to revisit this question.

Class had gone particularly well. After our quiz we played an EOC review game. The students were squealing like little girls, shouting "Bingo" and excited to win prizes, then with about 20 minutes left, one young lady, who was happily playing the game, abruptly gets up and announces she is leaving! After firmly telling her she can't just walk out of class, she picked up her purse and stomped out of the room. I was totally bewildered.

Then the story began to pour out from the other girls. She had received a text (I didn't notice her looking at her phone) her DAUGHTER was taken by her FOSTER parents to another location. This teen mom was heading to the bus station to go find her daughter. To complicate matters, (As if they needed being more complicated) she found out she is pregnant...AGAIN!

"That's why I was asking you about abortion this morning, Mrs. Hucko, for her!"

The story, as told to me, goes something like this.... This pregnant 10th grade student lives in foster care with her 2 year old daughter. She has no support from family and her child's daddy is in jail. If she has the new baby, she believes her 2-year old will be taken from her and placed in a different foster home.

With issues like this, no wonder her grades are poor, her attitude is edgy, her attendance is sporadic and her behavior can be exhausting! How can a child think about EOC's when they have no family to live with, and two children to think about. It took all my will power, to not stop then & there and have the entire class pray for this young lady (But, I can't do that) However, I certainly began to pray silently from that moment on.

We resumed our EOC Bingo game, the girls squealed once again, as they picked "fabulous" prizes such as a notebooks, bubbles or markers. As I reflect on the day, I am struck by the extremes.... the simple joy of playing a child's game mixed with the overwhelming issues of complicated adult life....

I was ready for the bell. It was hard to remain up-beat and light hearted with such heavy issues going on in the shadows. I really hope she comes back to class. I'd like to talk with her before summer break. My goal.. is to spread hope.... in hopeless situations and this situation certainly calls for that. For now, I just pray and thank you for your prayers for the students of this High School Sub