Michelle is the one friend I don't blog about much, because (unlike my other friends) she blogs a great deal on her own. So, I figure that she can give away as much or as little about herself as she'd like, with no help from me.
But, I thought you might be interested in knowing how our friendship developed, because it was through very unusual circumstances.
During the Spring of 2005, we had an incident in one of our local schools that sparked a great debate in our community. It was about a very vicious little girl who had a horrific tantrum both in her classroom (which forced them to evacuate the classroom) and then in the Principal's office. What was amazing was that she was about 5 years old.
Because the school's staff wasn't allowed to intervene (there had been incidents of bad behavior before, and the mother had formally demanded they couldn't touch her - probably forseeing this) the police had to be called. Since there was no reasoning with her, and she was so violently defiant, the cops were forced to handcuff the kid and haul her off. Yes, it was that bad.
What made the situation unique was that most of it was caught on tape! So it was no longer up to interpretation: Everyone could see exactly what happened. This was sorely inconvenient for the mother, who had filed a lawsuit and was hoping to get rich off the proceeds.
There was a great deal of debate about it all, with the vast majority of the opinion going against the mother. This shocked the mother, because she was apparently under the impression that you could raise a child to be a Tasmanian Devil and as long as she was cute, she could get away with it.It brought back discussions about spanking, discipline, and forcing parents to be responsible for their own children. Since it wasn't going in the right direction for her, the mother packed up her kids and moved.
During all the brouhaha there were some of us that developed a friendly acquaintance with each other: Polanco (a local teacher at that time), TC, and Mr. Gator were among them.
But Michelle and I clicked almost immediately. We took to emailing and then calling each other, and a strong friendship was developed. We eventually met in the summer, and found that our families clicked also. Since then we've tried to make a point of getting together regularly. I now count her as one of my closest friends.
If you'd like to read some of my posts about the topic as it was happening, feel free to go to Kids Out of Control (KOOCs), Disciplining Kids, Survival of the Fittest, and Solution to Kids Out of Control (KOOCs). And if you'd like to see the actual videos that started it all, go to videos of the KOOC and you'll be able to select from two different scenes.
And yes, Michelle really does look like that mermaid. With glasses.
24 comments:
Isn't God good to provide friends in the strangest places?
So you are a blondie huh?
Saurkraut- The case about the little 5 year old... was that in the news? I seem to remember seeing it. I could be wrong... but it seems so familiar.
I like the new look... and yes, a Sharon Stone look-alike you are, with a Katherine Hepburn personality! Such class!
I knew who you were all along. I was just pretending I didn't.
BTW, I am going to see your new movie Aeon Flux today.
I'll keep your secret identity a secret.
I still think you're Nancy Alexander. :)
New look, and a new name. Nothing like ushering in the new year with style.
Now let’s see. First there was Radioactive Woman then Nice Can Woman then Hat Lady then Mrs. Limpet (Ladyfish) and now Hot Blonde. I think your readers can safely assume you’re a woman. I like the Hot Blond idea, but I’ve always wondered about people who are too frightened to use their real picture.
We need to get together again. I enjoy talking to your other half he’s a fine young man and so handsome.
They showed the tape of the gifted girl on some show last night, Best Videos of 2005 (maybe), I’m thinking the whole thing was racially motivated. Just giving you an old fashioned blond to blond noogy.
PS Your head is slightly off center. I always say if you’re going to take the time to do something do it right.
You have one hell of a new look to your blog...
Daniel, er, what does that mean, exactly? ;o)
Mr. Gator, you're a dork, but I love you. I know, they keep pulling out the whole 'racial' card. The only thing that was racially motivated was the kid, who apparently thought she could behave badly with white people and they couldn't do a thing about it. Good analysis of my multiple personalities, BTW.
Fred, *LOL* Nope, not Nancy. But I got SO bored with the old look, which lots of people have. YOU know, since you just got a facelift yourself. Yours made me long for one of my own. Incidentally, I've put you in the links on Michelle's blog, since you're a local teacher.
Uncle Joe, shhh, don't tell them I'm Charlize.
Ellen, yeah, it went national. Even Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson tried to get involved, but the biggest problem is that when you have video, the truth gets told. So it was impossible to paint it as a racial incident. That is, unless you didn't see the video (which some people missed).
Aunt Josephina, yup! Short blond hair. ;o) But I'm not telling if it's natural or not... Michelle was such a wonderful, unexpected blessing.
Ellen, I added a link so that you could see the videos, and here it is again in the comments section:
Video of the KOOC. You can select from two different videos of her.
Saurkraut- Yep, that's the one I remember seeing.
Why is it so important that a race card needs to be pulled out in this situation, a bad kid is a bad kid, I don't care what color skin they have. When Sharpton and Jackson put themselves into it, it only esculates into a situation that goes way off track than the matter at hand. I noticed that there was a black officer in the room (in the background) who tried to de-esculate the situation, but to no avail... so that whole argument that white officers might have frightened the girl, doesn't hold much weight in my opinion.
Only my 2 cents worth... but I think the little girl needs a shrink session... along with her mother.
Thanks for the link!
the pic you posted looks a bit like Twiggy. Its OK though, we will let you be an honorary member of the Brunette Club *G*
The BEST to you and yours in the coming year
Ellen, You're completely correct. It was a time that made my blood boil, because (as you pointed out) bad behavior has no excuse and yes, there was a black police officer (thank heavens for that!)
Mallory, I'm happy being an honorary brunette! I was for most of my life, anyway... shhhh...
FTS, thank you! Michelle will appreciate hearing that, too. I really am saddened to see the lack of accountability out there. It's always someone else's fault, so nothing ever improves.
IMHO, Saur's and my new looks do resemble us. Thanks for the facelift Saur. This was much easier, and less costly, than going under the knife. Although if I get much more grey hair I may have to resort to getting my hair colored. Boo Hoo.
There's an old saying...not sure who's quote is this....
"You meet some people for a reason, season and/or for a lifetime." ~unknown
I love that. Some people are there to help you out in a certain circumstance, others are there for a particular reason---and the best ones are the ones that you keep for life.
Deb, very true! ;o)
Michelle, as if! You don't need anything done, silly! Most women would KILL to look like you.
TC, thanks, hon! So when are you posting a new recipe?
I like the new look.
I remember that news story. Sad. The kid's only 5. What's next for her?
TLP, I think you're right. It's very sad. The mother is setting her up to lose, and become another failure in the system.
For all the anti-spanking Nazis out there, this is a wonderful example of a child who has never been spanked.
Good friends make life wonderful! I'm glad you found each other!
I remember when that story was in the news. I'd hate to deal with that kid!
Wow. what a story!
Some bleeding heart liberal will make sure that both the Police and the School is sued, and that is beyond sick.
Imagine what would have happened if one of us did that in school. My teacher would have beat the tar out of me and then my parents would have done the same when I got home for being disrespectful to the teacher.
Maybe I am just too cynical, but somehow I'm wouldn't be surprised if the Mother encouraged the child to behave in this fashion to put her in just this position, a position to sue and make a fortune.
TSB, somehow I'm wouldn't be surprised if the Mother encouraged the child to behave in this fashion to put her in just this position, a position to sue and make a fortune. Actually, many of us believe it to be highly likely! Yeah, my parents would have responded to ME the same way YOURS would have.
Paula, yeah, it was incredible all right!
Jamie Dawn, good friends can be very hard to find!
Anon, I would say you're probably right. ;o)
Gee whiz this is almost too much, from hat lady to mermaid (I have friends who make their livings out of six inch mermaids) and now Barbie (Whoops, do I get spanked for that?) I haven't looked at the tapes yet but I vaguely remember them from the media a while ago.
Awww, I like the mermaid design - it looks like me too. :) I bet she loved the little mermaid as much as i did too.
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