The Unsung Heroes

Last week was a very tough one for the Billmann's. On Monday, I got the call that all mothers dread. No, it wasn't American Idol, telling me that my son had won a dance competition. Rather it was the school nurse telling me that my eighth grader was involved in an "incident" at school. She had taped up his fingers, repaired some abrasions and sent him on his way. Further, I was welcome to call Mr. W., the assistant principal if I had further questions. I was a little upset, called Cathy, who did just what she was supposed to do, and tell me that it was legitimate to be upset, not just neurotic.
Dan got home an hour or so later and I asked him what had happened and he just said, "Oh these seventh grade football players take the balls that people are playing with, and try to break up their game. I tried to get the ball back." His hand appeared to be sprained and he had some scrapes on his knees and elbows.
The next day, I never heard anything from the school. Dan got home that afternoon and his hand was very swollen, so Stephen took him to an Urgent Care center where the rest of the story came out. The incident involved Dan being being attacked by 5 boys, who pushed him down by bending his finger up and back (thus the swelling), and then kicking him in the head when he was down. The incident was broken up by two boys but not before Dan's finger was broken.
On Wednesday, Stephen went to see Mr W, who wasn't working in the junior high that day, but was assured the investigation was progressing.
We emailed the principal and the school district superintendent on Thursday. And FINALLY heard back from the principal who in what read like a form letter assured us that the ringleader was being disciplined and that this was a "hauntingly similar" incident to one in which her child was involved.
The idea of violence of any sort being done to your child gives any parent chills. But the idea of violence occurring in an environment so devoid of common sense and humanity is even more chilling. After I knew the severity of the "incident", I was appalled that the principal was not communicating with us before she had vetted the communication through the school district lawyer.
Fortunately, the two boys who stopped the "Incident" were in full possession of their common sense and their humanity. And they are the unsung heroes of my world. God Bless Them Both.