So yesterday I was insistent that I was NOT going to fight the school again. I heard there was going to be a balloon launch at my son’s grade school and I cringed.
When my first two kids (now 26 and 25) were in school I fought the school on so many things. Most of the things I wanted or needed for my kids, or all kids, was completely reasonable and understandable. I am NOT a troublemaker. Anyone that knows me knows that I am all about love, connection and getting along.
But there is another side to me that shows itself when an injustice happens. It’s a side that says, “you need to fix this. The world depends on you.” It has happened in my life outside of the kids school too. I was the person who brought attention to eggs and how chickens are kept in horrific conditions, which in turn was the start of cage-free eggs being sold in our local grocery stores.
In my kid’s school I fought a math program that was horrible. I did NOT win that fight. (Oh…that was an eye-opener about the power of money and government.)
When my son came home one day in middle school and told me a schoolmate showed a video where he shot a squirrel with an arrow and proudly displaying the squirrel’s skin on a wall I hit the roof. That one I sort of won. I got the school to agree to the Anti Cruelty staff to go into that homeroom and speak to the kids about why that is bad. (I tried to get the school to agree to have a special school assembly with no luck.)
When my daughter and son were struggling in school I fought for services for both of them. I never got it for my son and so we home schooled him. My daughter finally received services in high school. (It took that long for them to believe me that there was a problem.)
I can’t stand conflict and I don’t like to cause it. I hate that feeling it gives me, like heavy stones sitting in my throat, heart and stomach. So when I heard about this balloon launch I told my friend Collette, no way am I doing anything about it. I give up. I can’t do this thing all over again.
BUT after a decent night sleep I thought about it. Then I read the comment from my sister-in-law Sara, encouraging me to contact the school and provide them with links and that old Sandy surfaced. SIGH. She’s back. (Thanks Sara.)
Here’s the letter I wrote the principal this morning:
Dear Mr. (Principal),
This letter is about the balloon launch scheduled for Friday for first graders. My son Danny is in that class and when I heard about the balloon launch I was very surprised and disappointed that such a progressive, upstanding school would have a balloon launch.
While I was told that the balloons used for the balloon launch are biodegradable that does NOT mean that that it doesn’t cause pollution in the environment or harm wildlife. It can take six months to four years for biodegradable balloons to completely decompose, which means thousands of opportunities for wildlife to be injured or killed. See link: https://encenter.org/vis…/programs/birthday-parties/balloons/
There are dozens of environmentally friendly options available. Here is one of many links available online: https://balloonsblow.org/environmentally-friendly-alternati…/. Talking to the kids about why the balloon launch is not a good idea and coming up with another way to celebrate with the kids offers you an opportunity to teach the children how to be responsible citizens to the world. I am more than happy to help organize an alternative.
It is vital that us humans, who are in charge of all that live on this Earth, to protect it and nurture it. It’s equally as important that we teach our children to do the same. Our future on this planet depends on it.
Sincerely,
Sandy Kamen Wisniewski
Mom to Danny, first grade