Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 86808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Every day, I face a gauntlet of challenges that stretch my capabilities as an educator to the limits. My heart aches for the children who come to school bearing the scars—both visible and invisible—of abuse and neglect. I navigate the turbulent waters of bullying and violence, a shocking circumstance to have to deal with in children as young as mine. The specter of poverty looms large, with students arriving in class hungry and in threadbare clothing. It is a constant reminder of the inequities that plague our beloved community. My days are punctuated by the complexities of mental health issues, family crises and educational hurdles, each demanding a unique blend of empathy and resolve.
Beyond my office walls, I grapple with staff management, always aiming to uplift the morale of my team despite the ever-tightening budget constraints. Amid all of this, the relentless demands of administrative duties and regulatory compliance never cease, a constant backdrop to the more visible aspects of the job. In the quiet moments of reflection when I stare out my window watching the kids running around, laughing and playing with the delight of innocence, I often wonder how I manage to keep afloat in this sea of challenges.
Yet each morning, I arrive at school, resolve undimmed, ready to face another day because that’s what my heart demands I do.
The school is quiet, having emptied of everyone over an hour ago. With no husband or children of my own to go home to, I often stay to chip away at the never-ending mountain of paperwork that each day’s crises bring.
I am in the middle of writing a report for social services regarding a very sweet seven-year-old boy who told me that his father whipped him with a belt. My stomach threatened to expel my breakfast this morning when he showed me the welts on his back. My first order of business was to hug him gently, promising I’d help him. The second order of business was to release control to social services, my duty requiring that I involve them. I know tonight’s sleep will not go well because I’ll worry about him all night.
I take a break from the heaviness of the information before me and nab my phone from my purse, intent on checking my texts and voicemails. I’m surprised to find one from Ethan Blackburn.
I’m not sure why, but the minute I hear his lumbering voice my pulse begins to race. I try to ignore that and instead take note of what seems like desperation in his voice. I call him back immediately.
“Hello, Marcie… thank you for calling me back,” he answers when the call connects.
I sit up straighter in my chair and brush my hair back behind my ears. “Yes. Ethan. Hello. What can I do for you?”
He’s silent for a moment and then his gusting sigh tells me that something is very wrong. “It’s Sylvie. I need help.”
I listen while Ethan tells me how things have been going with Sylvie in the Blackburn home over the last several days. I take it all in quietly and intently, not interrupting, saving my questions for later. He seems like a man who needs to get a lot off his chest.
“I’m at my wits’ end. I thought she would be settling in by now but if anything, her behavior is getting worse and I’m worried that I’m not handling things correctly. The last thing I want to do is traumatize her, but I also feel like I need to take a firmer hand.”
I’m fascinated by the layers of complexity regarding this matter. It’s not the first time I’ve had to deal with a child who has lost a parent and had to go live with unknown relatives. I have helped guide many students through such scenarios. In fact, I’ve paid special attention to Sylvie since she enrolled at Shelbyville Primary, checking in with her every few days to see how she is doing. I’ve found the child reserved but not antagonistic. I definitely see sadness, but there are moments when I’ve observed Sylvie just being a little girl. Usually when I see her on the playground running around with the new friends she’s met.
The complexity comes because of this underlying feud between Sylvie’s current family situation with the Blackburns and her history with her mother’s family. I don’t really know why the feud exists or how deep it runs. I assume it’s due to intricate business ties that may have soured at some point in the past and I only assume this because the Blackburns and Mardraggons are the two wealthiest families in the county and probably the entire state. It only makes sense that their bitterness stems from some sort of rivalry, although I don’t understand how that could be so as the two businesses—horses and bourbon—are very different. Still, those two stalwart industries are synonymous with the great state of Kentucky.