Sometimes Rules Should be Broken

So, I had decided that I was going to go online, find some articles about knitting, my favorite hobby/way to de-stress & fill your brains with knitting thoughts. But when I got on yahoo.com tonight I saw a series of articles that changed my mind entirely.

What were these captivating articles on, you ask? Some celebrity happening or mishap, some religious blunder or so called miracle, or cute goo-goo baby stuff? While I saw all kinds of articles along these lines and others the ones that caught my eye were regarding a 17 year old boy in Ohio who in helping to care for his Mom who is battling breast cancer missed more days than his school allows and now will notbe allowed to walk at his graduation. His name is Austin Fisher and he is his mom’s only family. She has been battling breast cancer for the past six years and her diagnosis was upgraded (for lack of better terminology) to stage four which is considered terminal last year. As there is no one else in their household Austin took on working two jobs when she became too sick to work as well as taking time away from school to take her to and from cancer treatments as well as staying home to take care of her when she’s been too sick to get out of bed. All of these sacrifices on his part, made of love have resulted in him missing 16 days of school this year. According to the policies of his district if you miss more than 14 unexcused days of school your senior year. You would think that the school could look at each student’s situation and make exceptions to guidelines when appropriate, but Austin learned in a meeting with his principal that “guidelines are guidelines that won’t be changed, and he can’t walk”.

The other kids at Austin’s school have formed a movement which include a ‘Let Fish Walk’ Facebook page that has over twenty four thousand members and a petition to the board of education on change.org. As of tonight (Monday) there are over eighty-one thousand signatures on the petition.  A fellow senior of Austin’s Damon Anderson was quoted as saying “Everyone backs each other up her in Carrollton. When stuff happens we all know how to handle and help each other out and do what we gotta do to make things right. I love hearing that from a teenager, that just shows the beauty of small supportive towns.

Reportedly Teresa’s (Austin’s mom) cancer is currently in remission, but she knows it will return and one of her big goals in life is to see him graduate. Austin and the rest of the town are trying to help fulfill that goal of hers as her time to meet her life’s goals are likely limited and she won’t be able to see many of the milestones such as college graduation, marriage or her grandchildren that most of us expect to see in our children’s lives.  A longtime family friend Connie Rose Trushel is quoted as saying “He has been a rock for his mom and I truly believe that if he hadn’t been there for her my friend wouldn’t be here today.”

ere’s hI’m hoping the people of this town can make a difference. I know I signed the petition and am going to follow this article and keep my fingers crossed that he is allowed to walk.