Jesus loved women and children and one day when children were brought to him, his followers tried to stop the them by saying, "Don't bother him." Jesus responded by saying, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to them."
There's another story about Jesus calling a small child over. He set the child in the midst of the circle of those that were following him and he said, "Let this child be an example to you. Unless you become like this little child (and turn from you sins), you'll never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. Be humble like this child and then you'll be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
The next thing in this Jesus story is astounding. Jesus says that if anyone causes this child to lose their simple faith in God - you might as well tie a rope around your neck with a rock on it and throw yourself into the sea.
Today, I am so stink'n grieved over this story of a teacher - one Wendy Portillo, a teacher at Morningside Elementary in Port St. Lucie, Florida who has turned her classroom into one of the most cruel, hideous crimes ever - that against a child.
The report says that Ms. Portillo has "allowed her students to vote a fellow student out of the class.The banished child is 5-year-old Alex Barton, who is in the process of being diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, a high-functioning type of autism.
Not uncommon to his condition, Alex has had some behavioral issues and as a result, spends a lot of time in the Principal's office. After returning to Ms. Portillo's classroom after a recent visit with the principal, his teacher decided to punish him with humiliation.
She had Alex stand at the front of the class while his fellow students listed off what they didn't like about him. After informing him that they found him "disgusting" and "annoying", the class was instructed to vote on whether or not Alex should be allowed to stay in the class. By a 14 to 2 margin, they voted him out.
Alex hasn't been back to school since then, but his mother, Melissa Barton, says he is still reliving the incident. The night after it happened, she says she overheard him saying "I'm not special" over and over.Incredibly, an investigation by the state attorney's office concluded that Alex's treatment did not meet the criteria for emotional child abuse and no charges have been filed. I don't know what the criteria for emotional abuse is, but if this doesn't meet it, what does? My heart breaks for all the children involved in this incident." end of report.
How does this happen? How can adults stand by and even initiate such crimes against little ones? What is it that's in the head of this woman?
And, then to not stand in total judgment, I realize that without a relationship with the living God how I have such a propensity to sin against a child in such a way. There I go - but by the grace of God.
3 comments:
I completely agree and am reading a GREAT book on the subject by the Pres and Founder of Compassion, Intl, Wes Stafford, called Too Little To Ignore. You would LOVE it. :) Have a great day!
just the title Too LIttle to Ignore...draws me.....i would LOVE it...thanks woman! ...and kiss the baby from me :-)
:(
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