The ‘Burbs update #2

Well, the ‘Burbs have been having some funny drama! We’ve had two chicks arguing that resulted in one having to pack up and leave. Rambo is still MIA, but his wife has been busy clearing out the house. Crazy religion lady at the end of the street got a little out of hand and then retreated to her lair.

There were two chicks living one house up from us. They have been having arguments very regularly…shouting, cussing, throwing things, etc. Now, I only heard a few shouts here and there, but they each took turns coming over to my house to fill me in on the latest fights. One lady was always coming over yelling and acting crazy. Anyway, two weekends ago, I noticed the crazy one packing up her car. She just had to stop by here before she left. I was told about a huge fight that led to screaming and throwing glasses. Crazy, crazy, crazy stuff. It’s been quiet since then so I wasn’t too disappointed when I found out that the lady that stayed is buying the house. Maybe it will stay quiet…maybe.

Crazy religion lady up the street decided to blame all the neighborhood kids for her child not having playmates. This woman took it upon herself to talk to the kids and ask them why they weren’t playing outside with her daughter. Really? What mature adult does that? If you have a question about something like that you walk your butt to the neighbors’ houses and talk to the parents. She was politely informed that her child is rude, disrespectful, and mean to all the other children. She basically stomped back into her little lair and hasn’t been heard from.

I still haven’t seen Rambo across the street. I don’t know where he has run off to, but his wife has been “cleaning house” for the past week. Just the other day she and two other guys were literally throwing furniture and stuff out into the yard. They were breaking tables and hitting chairs against trees to bust the legs off of them! They stacked small tables and took turns busting them up. Oh and the wife was laughing hysterically and videoing the whole time! A moving truck showed up this morning but I can’t imagine what they would be loading up. Hell, everything was practically in the yard broken.

Well, there you have it. Just another crazy couple of weeks in the ‘Burbs!

Substitute teacher out of a job for reporting child abuse!

I’m sure you are scratching your head wondering how in the hell this is possible.  I was in shock when I read the story as well.  Apparently, this woman DID HER JOB and reported the child abuse on Feb 7th, 2013.  Since then she has lost her job…Really?!?

Kristina Harman, the HERO of the story, has been through the ringer since reporting a child abuse issue at the school she worked at.  How does a woman get fired for doing her job???  Think about this folks.  She did her job, she stood up for what is right, she did her best to protect an abused child…does any of that justify her losing her job?  Here is the direct post that she posted on her Facebook page…

ATTENTION! READ THIS ABOUT T.G. SCOTT

HELP PROTECT THE STUDENTS OF MONROE COUNTY GEORGIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Georgia law states that any employ or volunteer in Monroe County schools is MANDATED to report child abuse. I am a substitute teacher for this school system so it is my legal responsibility to report, which I did witness and report on Feb 7th 2013. I give myself a pat on the back, not only for doing my job, but for do…ing what is right! I pride the ASSISTANT Principals at TG Scott Elementary in Forsyth, Ga for doing their job. They took immediate action and I was prided on protecting the child, afterall, I am there to protect the child and not the schools image, correct??? Myself and the other witness both provided written statements and returned to our duties. I did not discuss the case with anyone else in the school. My involvement was legally confidential. My confidentiality was broken. Everyone knew my name, knew my involvement and steered clear of me.
 On Feb 12th 2013, I met with a social worker for Monroe County schools as well as a sheriff at their request. I again gave a statement and was prided and thanked numerous times. Why wouldnt they have thanked me? Arent they proud that I did the right thing and that this isnt swept under the rug? Of course they were!
Well, that statement ended up in the incident reports of the local paper, The Monroe County Reporter, on Feb 20th 2013. I had no idea because I do not subscribe to the paper. I became aware the following week when approached by a concerned parent in the parking lot of TG Scott. At that moment, I realized I wasent being called for that school anymore (the school my daughter attended). My husband asked me not to jump the gun so I waited a few weeks before asking the Principal on March 7th 2013 why I was no longer getting called. He informed me that he was advised to completely remove me from the list until the investigation was over. WAIT! WHAAAT? Who is on trial here? When did it become legal to retaliate, terminate, or remove any paid worker or even volunteer from a list because they did their job. Humm… Puzzled? That makes two of us. Side Note: Other witness involved is still employed. Wondering what the differences between she and I is? Me too!
 I immediately contacted the Assistant Superintentent, my “boss” will you, and set up a meeting with him for today, March 13th 2013. Ill get to that lovely conversation in a moment. As I sat all weekend, I thought and I thought! Wait a minute, my child is not safe in this school! I was shunned for reporting abuse. You made an example out of me. You showed these teachers they had to choose between feeding their children and protecting ours. Let me get this straight, They serve jail time if they dont report but when they do, they lose their job for some amount of time? They are punished? Wow! Yesterday, March 12th 2013, I withdrew my daughter from Pre K. She was ecstatic! Since the paper ran, she had also felt retaliated against and would tell me the incidents occuring like getting put on the bad square, (teacher said she did nothing wrong) she just put her there when she moved the class… humm…??? Several other things but Ill save those for court. This brings us to today, I met with Mike Hickman. Man, is he a character. He has been in management for some time Im sure by the way he answered questions with another question, avoided answering most of mine, and spent the whole maybe 5 minutes justifying and contradicting himself. He let me know that though his removing me did have to do with the child abuse case, it wasent because I reported child abuse. I replied that, that makes zero since, he replied thats your opinion. That made me laugh and again Ill say, that makes zero sense. He told me he was over everything and could remove whoever he wanted when he got ready (or something to that affect). I asked why the other witness was still employed. He said sometimes we have to make decisions and thats the one we made. Seriously? That’s your answer, okay Ill take it…. Straight to my lawyer. I let him know I would be pursuing this case and going to all media outlets. If we dont spread the word, we are failing these children. The teachers will fear reporting and will fail to report because they need to feed their children. Which is why I refused to work other schools under Mike Hickman. I cant do my job knowing if I witness and report abuse again I no longer have a job. The teachers cant do theirs either. I took this job to protect the children, not the schools image. The Principal (from what Ive been told) hates negative media and was embarrassed by it making the paper. But why? It said you saved the child! Hello? That is not negative media, oh but this IS! I am asking you all to share, share, share! Please! Until this is big enough that they cant hide it and it is made sure these teachers wont follow in my footsteps or fear following in my footsteps, I truely believe these students are in danger! PLEASE!

So, there you have it!  I am appalled by the way this situation has progressed!  This woman seems to have done her job and then got punished for it.  We, as parents, want to know that our children are in good hands while they are at school during the day.  If you’ve got teachers being fired for doing their job and reporting issues like this then the fear sets in.  They fear losing their income for protecting a child.  What kind of sense does that make?

I am waiting to receive the article from the paper there about this incident.  Just as soon as I get it I will post a follow-up.

Please feel free to search her name on Facebook and share her story.  Let’s give ’em the negative media so incidents like this do not continue to happen!  And to Kristina Harman, thank you for doing what you did.  As a parent, it is comforting to know there are teachers out there willing to speak up for the children.

Huffington Post Idiot

 Well, David Wood has officially been put on my doo-doo list.  He has called the military lifestyle and benefits “lavish”.  Really?!?  What in the hell is this guy smoking?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/30/defense-budget-cuts_n_2584099.html

He says that military bases, housing, support services, family counseling, and others are considered lavish.  I guess he forgot all about the hardships that the military and their families endure.  What about the deployments?  What about never knowing if your spouse will come home?  There are no soldiers getting pampered during long ass deployments.  Maybe he forgot to look at the pay charts…they are listed online for all to see.  I guess he doesn’t know about all the training and school either.  Yea, that’s more time away from family.

Housing on post ain’t that extravagant.  Where did he get that shit from?  Support services and family counseling…those are part of a lavish lifestyle???  Has this idiot ever endured a deployment?  Has he had to leave his family for 12 months?  Has he had to see the horrible sights of war that no soldier can ever forget?  This guy is a real piece of work.  I understand he has covered certain conflicts since 1970 and I am not saying that is easy…but trust me…this idiot makes a lot more money than an active duty soldier.  So, who is living a more lavish lifestyle?

Way to go Wood!!!  Cramming your own foot so far down your throat has been amusing.  I can only hope…with your “lavish life”, all your money, your cute awards, your little important inner circle of people, and all the other life riches…you gain a more accurate description of the military lifestyle and benefits.