I wasn't going to do this, but...
I'm working on the outline for my Back To School contest entry, and there are some things that I, quite frankly, do not know. Since I want my story to be as realistic as possible, I'd like to ask the following questions of anyone who might know:
First, the premise. It concerns a second-grader named Kieran Malloy, whose teacher gives him the following assignment: write a 100-word essay, with a drawing, titled "What I Want To Be." The one rule? No make-believe, such as "I want to be a mermaid", or "I want to be Batman." Kieran's wish is quite simple, however: "I want to be me." The teacher tells him he didn't understand the assignment, but looks at the drawing anyway.
She's taken aback when she sees his drawing: a little girl in a purple dress and braided hair. Underneath are the words, "Me, Kiera." The teacher rather spitefully gives the child an "F" on the assignment, saying he violated the "no make-believe" rule. Kieran's a boy, she says, and can never be a girl, so what he wants is pure fantasy.
The tearful child goes home and explains to his dad what happened. The dad is furious, not with Kieran but with the small-mindedness of the teacher. He realizes he has a transgender child and promises to support the child in every way. First, he attempts to get the grade changed, and then fights the school to have his child attend as a girl.
The questions I have are as follows:
- is the question, and the assignment, too sophisticated for a second grader? Should the child be, say, a fourth-grader instead?
- what would be the procedure in most schools for a father trying to accomplish the stated goals in my story? Principal, school board, transgender organization, media, court hearing, in that order? I have no knowledge of law, and could run into problems if I try to do courtroom scenes.
I realize the procedure varies from state to state, so I purposely decided to not mention what state the characters live in, so I'm not picking on any one region of the country. (It was originally going to be a town in South Carolina).
I don't know why it is, but whenever a contest like this comes up, I can't just come up with a simple story I can knock off in a short time. It always has to be epic with a capital "EP." But the premise is too intriguing not to use.
Again, any help would be welcome. And for that matter, so would a beta reader.
Comments
I think that you can do pretty much what you want here
Speaking as a parent, you start with the teacher. If the instructor is uncooperative or is particularly hard-headed, the next step is the principal or vice-principal. After that you would have the school board. If cannot get the school board to see reason, the media is a good option.
Let me give you an example of how it works:
We had some high school students who staged an impromptu skit in the cafeteria and it got a little risqué. The teachers themselves suspended the students that they caught and the principal backed them up. When the school board wouldn't listen to the parents, the parents went to the media where the whole thing was talked about across the state. The school eventually backed down, but the students who were suspended hadn't been able to play in the football game and the high school missed out at playing at the state level. Some of those football players were in line for scholarships that they lost out on.
It sounds like the same kind of scenario would work in your story without having to worry about a particular procedure. I think that your focus is on the fact that the teacher, and possibly, the administration are prejudiced against the child. It doesn't matter what age she is. A second grader wouldn't understand why people hate her, only that they do.
Age is up to the author
Hon, the child could be in the first grade and know she isn't who she is supposed to be. OR never understand until the day he dies. Individuals hon. SO stick with whatever grade you want. No matter what it is right for "that" individual.
Who to contact. Well usually the parent has knowledge with who is teaching his or her child. They may contact the teacher first to try and work it out. No hope, they step it up a notch and go to the Principle. But that isn't set in stone either. Parents? Sheesh, they are usually clueless how the school system works. So take your pick. Nothing happened. The teacher is still sticking to the F and the homophobic myoptic Principle is backing his teacher. At this point one may or may not contact the superintendent or go to the net searching for free legal help experienced in handling these kind of situations.
Hon, no matter what you write or how you write it, it is a story close to someone's life. I swear someone(s) out there has already experienced the story in any shape, time lapse, or procession you care to tell.
Gender Disphoria has been around as long as there has been humans walking the earth. And there has been people who love them and those who hate them in the same time span.
Write your story hon and stop nickle and dimeing the smallest details. It has all happened in real life.
have fun with life
it's too short to take it seriously
always,
Barb
Oklahoma born and raised cowgirl
It's all over the spectrum so write your story how you want
Rachel,
Real life hon.
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=school+allows+boy+to+re...
Oklahoma born and raised cowgirl
Essays
A 100 word essay might be given to a second grader in an advanced class. It's nearly a standard for 3rd to 6th grade.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.