From the life of a teacher

I had a female student in one of my English classes in High School. She was brighter than the work she was doing and seemed distracted more and more as the semester went on. She also seemed sad and kept to herself most of the time. I only noticed one friend with whom she spent any real time. I was concerned about her because she was so intelligent and creative but wasn’t doing the work in a way that reflected that at all. I would talk with her; she was always eager to talk to me and would come to me after school with questions about literature, writing, and movies. When we talked she was more animated but still wearing this sadness like a coat. One day she just looked at me in our after school information time and told me “I’m pregnant and it’s my stepdad’s and he rapes me and he’s been raping me for 3 years and my mom won’t believe me and if I tell he beats me and rapes me more. I’m so scared. I don’t know what to do or who to talk to but I was hoping because you’re younger and you seem like you understand stuff if you would please, please help me.” And she just put her head in my lap and wept like I had never heard before.

Long story short, between myself, the school, the school district, Children’s Services and services from Planned Parenthood, she came away sound, her step dad in jail, her mom charged with child endangerment and neglect, and she was placed in a foster home that was genuinely wonderful. That is by far the saddest damn thing I ever was told. I wonder what I wasn’t told. I feel honored she trusted me and asked for help.