Utterly Depressing Afternoon

As usual, I'd like to go into more detail here than is probably advisable in such a public forum. Suffice to say that one of my kids got taken by DHS today.

Given the way the system works, he has a middling, ranging down to slim, chance of returning to my class. He was (as might be expected, given the DHS involvement) one of my major behavior problems, but I can't bring myself to even be relieved that he might be gone. I was getting through to him. It was an uphill battle, but I could tell he cared what I thought, no matter how hard he tried not to. I can't bear the idea that just as we were beginning to develop a relationship, he might have to go off to a new school and a new teacher and new classmates, none of whom might be at ALL understanding of how he works, and without even the dubious stability of going home to his parents. It's utterly depressing.

The worst part is how he is when there's no audience. He's a sweetheart. Adorable, quirky, funny, intelligent... He could have been the sweetest little boy in the whole world, if only no one had ever beaten the shit out of him.

Argh.