Hi friends, if you have time to read anything today please make it this post! I rarely use my platform to share a very personal story of this nature but I felt so compelled to when I came across the video of a darling little girl, Adriel Carignan several months ago (click here to read that previous post) . I saw it on social media when I couldn’t sleep one night and it literally kept me up the entire night. Adriel, who suffers from spina bifida, was blatantly discriminated against in the most public way…in front of her entire school, peers and parents.
So many of you who shared my feelings were equally outraged when I shared it and were so generous both in your kind and supportive words and in donating to help the family raise money for an off terrain wheelchair (the family loves to hike and talk long nature walks). Thanks to a wonderful community of generous souls, they were able to buy that wheelchair and take her on a trip to Boston where they were able to enjoy the aquarium and Museum of Science (a few pics from her fun outing below)
How I wish I could say that is where the story ends, but sadly it does not. In fact it got worse. You would think after that video went viral and so many from literally across the globe, publicly chastised the school district, that they would have taken full responsibility and accountability. That they would have corrected a very obvious wrongdoing and made this horrible event not happen in vain.
Not only did the school try to “sweep this under the rug”, the family was soon after ostracized, to the point where the mother had to resign from her job within the school district due to the shame she was made to feel. There were no nondiscrimination policy changes made, and shockingly there was no disciplinary action taken towards the offending teacher!
As if it could not get worse, the parents also made the school aware of Adriel’s allergy to latex when they discovered that they had brought balloons into the classroom. They refused to acknowledge it or refrain from using balloons near her, only to publicly honor the peanut allergy of a fellow student. Sounds incredibly spiteful to me.
There have been other incidences where it is glaringly clear that nothing has changed and the district has made no effort to even pretend that they’re working on any form of change in this capacity. The family has since hired an educational attorney and advocate and sweet little Adriel will enroll in a private school next year. Unfortunately she is resigned to staying in this ignorant school system for another year as the private school does not offer pre-k. As they are in a rural area, there are very limited options for Pre-K.
So I am helping them to raise money towards the hefty attorney fees as well as any left for the tuition they will have to bear next year. Truly no amount is too small, as they say it takes a village. I am only too happy to help this family who has been violated in a horrible way, at the expense of their sweet little girl. Anyone who knows the legal system knows how drawn out such cases can be. The family was really hoping it would never come to this but the schools ignorance with regard to this story is unconscionable and inexcusable.
I am so happy I did not give up trying to find this family initially after I saw that video several months ago. Something in me was awoken and I just couldn’t’ “unsee” the injustice that happened. A small district in rural New Hampshire probably banked on that they could bury this under the rug without bearing any responsibility and continue on with their same discriminatory (and in fact, illegal policies). I think they underestimated the power of social media, the kindness and generosity of so many, and that the world is getting small in terms of accessibility in real time.
Above are a few recent pictures of sweet little Adriel, who’s innocence and smile have not wavered. I felt very compelled to share updates on this story, which should have ended long ago. Sadly that is not the case, how unfortunate for the Carignan family and others who have experienced this outright discrimination in other forms. No school in this day and age with all that we have learned should be able to get away with such brazenly discriminatory behavior!
The wheels of justice are turning but as you know that can be a very long, arduous and sometimes painfully slow journey. So anything you care to donate will be put to immediate use in both helping to pay for the educational attorney and saving up for her tuition next year. The family is especially burdened now that her mom had to leave the district for being ostracized.
On behalf their sweet little family I thank you in advance for doing anything you can. Whether it’s donating, sharing this story with others or blasting it on social media (if all three even better). I have shared (with the family’s permissions) all that I could here but understandably there are some details I am not able to share at this time.
I will surely keep everyone in the loop as things develop and we can only hope and pray for a very happy ending to this story given the travesty of justice that has taken place. Hopefully the school will be made to be fully accountable and Adriel will be off to a wonderful small private school next year that will welcome her with open arms and be there to accommodate her with her needs and then some. This sweet little angel and her family have been through enough. Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this and for your support! Truly means the world and as they say, it takes a village!
Again on behalf of the family, we all so appreciate any help you can offer, I can’t think of a better cause to make a difference in someone’s life. Having had numerous conversations with the family, I can tell you that I am only to happy to help spread the word and help them in any way that I can. Grateful to have a platform on which I can share their story. Thank you for stopping by, for listening and for caring. Until next time…….
LAST DAY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR 25% OFF ALL NEW ARRIVALS (and they have never looked better)!
You have a beautiful heart. I am happy to donate and share this tragic story. As you said NO school district should be allowed to get away with this horrendous discrimination. What a beautiful little girl! THANK YOU TINA FOR BRINGING AWARENESS AND USING YOUR PLATFORM FOR NOT ONLY BEAUTY BUT FOR THE GREATER GOOD!
Thank you for updating us on this story! It is disheartening to think a school could sweep this under a rug and make no changes towards the discrimination Adriel and her family have suffered. God bless Adriel and her family and I pray there is a happy ending for this family.
Dear Tina:
I just want you to know how fortunate your sons are to have such a generous and loving mother. I follow you every Sunday and when all your readers were made aware of the blatant discrimination toward this lovely little girl, I cried aloud. Having taught children of all ages for all of forty-two years, I am only too happy that I was in a school system that would never have tolerated such atrocity. It is hard to imagine this kind of cruelty! I love to read your entries every week, and it is obvious how talented you are. However, since your writings deal with home decor, flowers, etc., I never realized just what a beautiful soul you possess. I am not certain you will receive this since I am not a member of your blog, but again, you truly must have an abundance of
love to want to share so much for a child in need. How fortunate for this family that you responded to this atrocious mishap in this school! Thank you, Tina, for being so “giving.” I wish you all good things in life as you certainly deserve it. Ariel will one day remember that beautiful and soulful woman that helped her when she so needed it.
It’s sad to know that there are thoughtless and inattentive people in our world. What happened to Adriel was so insensitive.
I’m surprised that at the time of the performance, not one person reminded the teacher that Adriel was sitting by herself and not participating. Everyone sitting in that assembly witnessed it and did nothing. I blame them as well (if anyone did, I apologize). This behavior is nothing new. How many times have people witnessed a wrong doing and stood by watching and do nothing because of embarrassment or fear or ridicule?
Let’s think of all the wonderful school districts and educators who are kind, loving and sensitive to the student’s needs.
There are so many of them, myself included, who spend hours thinking how to meet their students needs. Let’s not forget them and not have the behavior of one ignorant school district cloud our judgement re teachers.
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Hi friends, if you have time to read anything today please make it this post! I rarely use my platform to share a very personal story of this nature but I felt so compelled to when I came across the video of a darling little girl, Adriel Carignan several months ago (click here to read that previous post) . I saw it on social media when I couldn’t sleep one night and it literally kept me up the entire night. Adriel, who suffers from spina bifida, was blatantly discriminated against in the most public way…in front of her entire school, peers and parents.
So many of you who shared my feelings were equally outraged when I shared it and were so generous both in your kind and supportive words and in donating to help the family raise money for an off terrain wheelchair (the family loves to hike and talk long nature walks). Thanks to a wonderful community of generous souls, they were able to buy that wheelchair and take her on a trip to Boston where they were able to enjoy the aquarium and Museum of Science (a few pics from her fun outing below)
How I wish I could say that is where the story ends, but sadly it does not. In fact it got worse. You would think after that video went viral and so many from literally across the globe, publicly chastised the school district, that they would have taken full responsibility and accountability. That they would have corrected a very obvious wrongdoing and made this horrible event not happen in vain.
Not only did the school try to “sweep this under the rug”, the family was soon after ostracized, to the point where the mother had to resign from her job within the school district due to the shame she was made to feel. There were no nondiscrimination policy changes made, and shockingly there was no disciplinary action taken towards the offending teacher!
As if it could not get worse, the parents also made the school aware of Adriel’s allergy to latex when they discovered that they had brought balloons into the classroom. They refused to acknowledge it or refrain from using balloons near her, only to publicly honor the peanut allergy of a fellow student. Sounds incredibly spiteful to me.
There have been other incidences where it is glaringly clear that nothing has changed and the district has made no effort to even pretend that they’re working on any form of change in this capacity. The family has since hired an educational attorney and advocate and sweet little Adriel will enroll in a private school next year. Unfortunately she is resigned to staying in this ignorant school system for another year as the private school does not offer pre-k. As they are in a rural area, there are very limited options for Pre-K.
So I am helping them to raise money towards the hefty attorney fees as well as any left for the tuition they will have to bear next year. Truly no amount is too small, as they say it takes a village. I am only too happy to help this family who has been violated in a horrible way, at the expense of their sweet little girl. Anyone who knows the legal system knows how drawn out such cases can be. The family was really hoping it would never come to this but the schools ignorance with regard to this story is unconscionable and inexcusable.
I am so happy I did not give up trying to find this family initially after I saw that video several months ago. Something in me was awoken and I just couldn’t’ “unsee” the injustice that happened. A small district in rural New Hampshire probably banked on that they could bury this under the rug without bearing any responsibility and continue on with their same discriminatory (and in fact, illegal policies). I think they underestimated the power of social media, the kindness and generosity of so many, and that the world is getting small in terms of accessibility in real time.
Above are a few recent pictures of sweet little Adriel, who’s innocence and smile have not wavered. I felt very compelled to share updates on this story, which should have ended long ago. Sadly that is not the case, how unfortunate for the Carignan family and others who have experienced this outright discrimination in other forms. No school in this day and age with all that we have learned should be able to get away with such brazenly discriminatory behavior!
The wheels of justice are turning but as you know that can be a very long, arduous and sometimes painfully slow journey. So anything you care to donate will be put to immediate use in both helping to pay for the educational attorney and saving up for her tuition next year. The family is especially burdened now that her mom had to leave the district for being ostracized.
On behalf their sweet little family I thank you in advance for doing anything you can. Whether it’s donating, sharing this story with others or blasting it on social media (if all three even better). I have shared (with the family’s permissions) all that I could here but understandably there are some details I am not able to share at this time.
I will surely keep everyone in the loop as things develop and we can only hope and pray for a very happy ending to this story given the travesty of justice that has taken place. Hopefully the school will be made to be fully accountable and Adriel will be off to a wonderful small private school next year that will welcome her with open arms and be there to accommodate her with her needs and then some. This sweet little angel and her family have been through enough. Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this and for your support! Truly means the world and as they say, it takes a village!
CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE GO FUND ME PAGE FOR ADRIEL
Again on behalf of the family, we all so appreciate any help you can offer, I can’t think of a better cause to make a difference in someone’s life. Having had numerous conversations with the family, I can tell you that I am only to happy to help spread the word and help them in any way that I can. Grateful to have a platform on which I can share their story. Thank you for stopping by, for listening and for caring. Until next time…….
LAST DAY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR 25% OFF ALL NEW ARRIVALS (and they have never looked better)!
Click here to see
Sadly this is an every day occurrence in the world. Happy to help.
You have a beautiful heart. I am happy to donate and share this tragic story. As you said NO school district should be allowed to get away with this horrendous discrimination. What a beautiful little girl! THANK YOU TINA FOR BRINGING AWARENESS AND USING YOUR PLATFORM FOR NOT ONLY BEAUTY BUT FOR THE GREATER GOOD!
Thank you for updating us on this story! It is disheartening to think a school could sweep this under a rug and make no changes towards the discrimination Adriel and her family have suffered. God bless Adriel and her family and I pray there is a happy ending for this family.
You are their angel! Love that you are doing this. Happy to support. this precious child.
My personal opinion is that the school should pay for her private school tuition. Goodness life is crazy enough without this kind of stuff happening.
Dear Tina:
I just want you to know how fortunate your sons are to have such a generous and loving mother. I follow you every Sunday and when all your readers were made aware of the blatant discrimination toward this lovely little girl, I cried aloud. Having taught children of all ages for all of forty-two years, I am only too happy that I was in a school system that would never have tolerated such atrocity. It is hard to imagine this kind of cruelty! I love to read your entries every week, and it is obvious how talented you are. However, since your writings deal with home decor, flowers, etc., I never realized just what a beautiful soul you possess. I am not certain you will receive this since I am not a member of your blog, but again, you truly must have an abundance of
love to want to share so much for a child in need. How fortunate for this family that you responded to this atrocious mishap in this school! Thank you, Tina, for being so “giving.” I wish you all good things in life as you certainly deserve it. Ariel will one day remember that beautiful and soulful woman that helped her when she so needed it.
It’s sad to know that there are thoughtless and inattentive people in our world. What happened to Adriel was so insensitive.
I’m surprised that at the time of the performance, not one person reminded the teacher that Adriel was sitting by herself and not participating. Everyone sitting in that assembly witnessed it and did nothing. I blame them as well (if anyone did, I apologize). This behavior is nothing new. How many times have people witnessed a wrong doing and stood by watching and do nothing because of embarrassment or fear or ridicule?
Let’s think of all the wonderful school districts and educators who are kind, loving and sensitive to the student’s needs.
There are so many of them, myself included, who spend hours thinking how to meet their students needs. Let’s not forget them and not have the behavior of one ignorant school district cloud our judgement re teachers.