33- Kramer's Mom

Kramer’s mother finally returned my phone calls and came in for a conference. She met me during my planning period today.
I expected her to be fat, because her son is so obese, but she turned out to be a petite woman. “Kramer’s dad was a football player,” she explained, as if she had read my mind.
The woman looked exhausted. The tremendous stress of a fulltime job, a son with learning disabilities, and a newborn baby had started to wear her away. Her pretty face was filled with lines of worry as she waited for me to deliver the bad news.
I began by praising Kramer’s kind heart and thoughtful tendencies. I talked about how well he worked with others, and what a refreshing sense of humor the boy had.
“But?” Kramer’s mother interrupted me. She wanted to get to the point.
“But, Kramer’s educational development is years behind his classmates.” I could tell that this woman didn’t want a sugar-coated story. “While his classmates solve long division problems, Kramer can’t add two plus two. When the other kids read chapter books, Kramer barely recognizes the word cat. He does not belong in a regular classroom and is falling more behind with every passing day.”
Kramer’s mother looked desperate, “But it’s your job to teach him these things.”
I can try to teach him, but it doesn’t mean he can learn.
“I think you should have him evaluated by the school psychologist. Kramer could greatly benefit from a resource classroom.”
Tears pooled in the woman’s eyes. “I just want him to have a normal life. A happy life.” Kramer’s mom began to cry. I brought her a box of tissues and gave her a few moments to collect her thoughts.
She finally agreed to make an appointment with Mr. Thorpe and the school psychologist. “I’m not making any final decisions,” she insisted stubbornly, “I’m looking into it, that’s all. Until, then, I want my baby in a normal classroom. He doesn’t belong with any retards!” Kramer’s mom left unhappily.
Retards? I chose to ignore her social blight and instead feel optimistic that Kramer’s mother would get her son the help he needs.