I grew up in a small town. Surrounded by other small towns out in the country in Alabama.
When I was 18 I married a soldier, who just so happened to grow up in a neighboring small community.
During our 15 year marriage my husband and I have lived in NC, GA, & FL. My husband has a career that allows us to live anywhere we want. His commute is around 12 hours per week, so we live in Alabama not because it is convenient to his job, but because it is where we want to live our life. Because it is where we have always called home.
We have two amazingly perfect children. We homeschool my son and plan to homeschool my daughter when she gets older. We consider ourselves incredibly fortunate that if we were to put our children in public school we would be in such a great school system. We homeschool because we are able to individualize their education to their interests, and my husband isn’t always off work on weekends. If he is off on Mondays and Tuesdays he will still get to see the children (actually he takes over the schooling on his days off). We homeschool so that when our children get older we can do all the traveling we want and never worry about missing school, we just take it with us.
Last weekend I enjoyed one of the perks of living home and close to family. I got to go and see my dear cousin before she went to her Senior prom. She is special to me and to everyone that meets her. Getting the opportunity to see her in her dress and know she was going to have a great time at her prom was priceless.
Later that night after I put my toddler back in bed I checked my facebook. My Aunt and Uncle had posted pictures of my cousin at prom. She had been crowned Prom Queen. I woke my husband with my tears of happiness. This was a special night for a special girl and I was overwhelmed with gratitude that this class saw past any disabilities that Williams Syndrome puts in front of her and saw the beautiful young lady that our family adores. She may not do some of the same things her peers do. She may not drive a car, or go off to college. But she loves people with such a fierceness that everyone around her feels loved.
Now just days later this same school is all over the news. Not for the beautiful prom queen they elected. But because 3 students choose to abuse another special needs student, and the substitute teacher didn’t take the necessary steps to stop the abuse.
I am ANGRY! I am angry at the abuse that took place against this young man and angry that this is what our town is in the spotlight for.
Good, amazing beautiful teenagers attend that school, I want to take this moment and on my little space on the internet tell those students that they are NOT defined by the ignorance of those bullies. They deserve a pat on the back. For not just accepting a special needs girl, but for electing her their prom queen.
Cleburne County is a great place to live and while we do have some people who choose to do awful things, that is not what defines us. We as residents of this community get to decide that we are better than the actions of those that hurt this young man.
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Well said
Thanks, Shannon! I appreciate it!
Pamela, thank you for posting this !!!! I am not originally from Heflin,but we have lived here for the past 25 years. Both our children started and finished Heflin schools. We never had a problem while they were there. Times have really changed, there is always a few bad apples in the basket!! And it seems people only want to spread the bad news and never the good news !! People need to do what is suppose to be done, take the bad out and let them spend some time where they can think about what they have done wrong !!!!!! Let our school system get back to teaching our children, not just testing them all the time! We have some very good teachers at Cleburne County Schools! If they would just let them do their job !!! As for the 2016 Prom Queen, I have been knowing Kaitlyn all her life. She is one of the sweetest young ladies I know!!!!! I love her and her sweet family !!!!! Congratulations Kaitlyn !!!!😘💐👑😇
I have to agree with you, we do have some of the best teachers at Cleburne County. They have a heart for what they do as they not only went to these schools, but have children that attend there also. Thankfully that love their have for the children they are teaching has transferred into the students loving each other well. And Yes, I think she is one of the sweetest young ladies on the planet, but I may be kinda partial. 😉
Pamela, that was beautiful. I have loved this young lady as a little girl in my classroom and now I am so proud to know what a wonderful Senior Class there is at Cleburne County High School. I too had tears in my eyes when I read and saw pictures of our Beautiful Queen.
Cleburne County should be know for these acts of kindness and not the harmful actions of others.
Thank you, Mrs Harris! Our queen is something special for sure! 🙂 I am sure both of these stories have really hit close to home for you. I have to agree, the senior class is something special. I know there have to be a lot of proud parents and teachers with this group. This group is showing a community just how huge an impact they can make. It will be wonderful to see what they accomplish when they take on the world.