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I grew up in a small town. Surrounded by other small towns out in the country in Alabama.
When I was 18 I married a soldier, who just so happened to grow up in a neighboring small community.
During our 15 year marriage my husband and I have lived in NC, GA, & FL. My husband has a career that allows us to live anywhere we want. His commute is around 12 hours per week, so we live in Alabama not because it is convenient to his job, but because it is where we want to live our life. Because it is where we have always called home.
We have two amazingly perfect children. We homeschool my son and plan to homeschool my daughter when she gets older. We consider ourselves incredibly fortunate that if we were to put our children in public school we would be in such a great school system. We homeschool because we are able to individualize their education to their interests, and my husband isnโ€™t always off work on weekends. If he is off on Mondays and Tuesdays he will still get to see the children (actually he takes over the schooling on his days off). We homeschool so that when our children get older we can do all the traveling we want and never worry about missing school, we just take it with us.
Last weekend I enjoyed one of the perks of living home and close to family. I got to go and see my dear cousin before she went to her Senior prom. She is special to me and to everyone that meets her. Getting the opportunity to see her in her dress and know she was going to have a great time at her prom was priceless.
Later that night after I put my toddler back in bed I checked my facebook. My Aunt and Uncle had posted pictures of my cousin at prom. She had been crowned Prom Queen. I woke my husband with my tears of happiness. This was a special night for a special girl and I was overwhelmed with gratitude that this class saw past any disabilities that Williams Syndrome puts in front of her and saw the beautiful young lady that our family adores. She may not do some of the same things her peers do. She may not drive a car, or go off to college. But she loves people with such a fierceness that everyone around her feels loved.
Now just days later this same school is all over the news. Not for the beautiful prom queen they elected. But because 3 students choose to abuse another special needs student, ย and the substitute teacher didnโ€™t take the necessary steps to stop the abuse.
I am ANGRY! I am angry at the abuse that took place against this young man and angry that this is what our town is in the spotlight for.
Good, amazing beautiful teenagers attend that school, I want to take this moment and on my little space on the internet tell those students that they are NOT defined by the ignorance of those bullies. They deserve a pat on the back. For not just accepting a special needs girl, but for electing her their prom queen.
Cleburne County is a great place to live and while we do have some people who choose to do awful things, that is not what defines us. We as residents of this community get to decide that we are better than the actions of those that hurt this young man.

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