A Wonderful, Caring Story
There is a tremendous amount of turmoil going on in our schools right now. These mass shootings have left everyone on edge. School administrators and teachers are in the newspaper, what seems like every day; being criticized for over-reacting to a situation…or not reacting fast enough to a situation. We see the stories of kids suspended from schools for having an aspirin on them…or a little boy being handcuffed and led out of school for bringing a toy gun to school. We shake our heads over a zero-tolerance policy; which sometimes defies logic…and yet, we wonder who was at watch when something tragic happens. I don’t know about you, but I feel for those working in our schools because they walk through a mine field every day.
With the above as a backdrop to the jungle our schools have become, it is always so wonderful when you hear, or read something like the following story. It is a story of a school system which got it 100% percent right. Sit back and relax, and enjoy this wonderful, caring story…
Just last month, Ben Linnabary graduated from high school. Doesn’t seem so unusual does it? Well, maybe that it happened in the middle of a school year may seem a little out of the norm…but when you hear the circumstances, you will understand why.
You see, Ben’s mom was dying from cancer. Jennifer Linnabary’s goal, after her 4-year long battle, was to see her son graduate from high school. School officials were notified that Jennifer would not last until graduation day, when Ben would graduate with his fellow classmates. So, these wise and compassionate administrators bent the rules. With the wisdom of Solomon, they held a graduation ceremony for Ben in his mom’s hospital room last month.
Ben wore his cap and gown, the graduation march was played, and the school administrators were all there in the hospital room, as Ben was presented his diploma.
Ben’s mom died the next day.
Northwest Local School District Superintendent Rick Glatfelter explained, "It was important because we realized that this was important to the mother and to the family and so to make this whole situation they had to deal with as easy for them as possible, it was just something that we had to do,"
Many times we hear of those in authority who admonish us that they can’t bend the rules…whose insensitivity and inflexibility seems downright cruel. So, when we hear about Ben’s story and the compassion he was shown; we must let others know.
I would like to end with this quote…
The kids in our classroom are infinitely more significant
than the subject matter we teach.
-Meladee McCarty
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