Child Care Provider Tells 5 Year Old To Hit The Road

My heart dropped when I read this story.  A 5 year old boy is told to leave when his name was not on a list at the Thurgood Marshall Elementary after-school program in Marrow, GA.  This little boy did as he was told, he walked a mile to his home alone.  Can you believe it?  Here’s the story:  Apparently there had been a mix up.  His mother enrolled him in the program; however, his name was not on the list when he showed up on his first day.  Rather than the child care provider bring him inside and investigate why his name was not on the list, they tell him to leave.  He doesn’t know what else to do, so he heads home.  Fortunately he made it home safely and used a spare key to let himself in.  
The school is currently investigating the incident, and they have offered his mother a free week for the trouble.  How funny is that?  A free week at a reckless child care facility would really ease my fear and discomfort.  

I don’t know what’s happening to our school systems, but they’re justing going to hell along with so many other things in this country.  I’m starting to get very upset about by what seems to be a lack of interest in our children.  I know the country is feeling stress from a poor economy and a lack of jobs, but people just don’t seem to care much about anything or anyone. An adult in that school was getting paid to oversee children.  That’s a scary thought to me.  I have to ask what other poor decisions will they make.  Sending a 5 year old away from a school alone is an indication to me that they are not responsible.  So many horrible things could have happened to that poor child.  The teacher or guardian must not listen to the new when they’re at home.  Every day there’s a child murdered or missing on the news.  As a mother that thas a profound affect on me. It should have an affect on the hands that we place our children in daily too.

I’m assuming this school has to be certified in child care if they are advertising as an after school childcare provider.  I wonder how they achieved this status?  I wonder how many parents pulled their children out when they heard what happened to this 5 year old.  Personally, I would have left skid marks driving my child away.  It’s a sad state when you can’t trust a school with your child.  

The mother stated that she would be pulling her child out of the program.  Who can blame her.  I pray that this school will work to provide a better and safer program for the parents and their childen.  What kind of child care do you have for your child after school?  How would you have handled the situation if your child was told to leave a facility and walked a mile home alone?  We would love to hear your take on this one.