She said, No, Rittberger says. The children most often want to be at school, but getting there is beyond their control. If I could, I would have 100 children living in my one-bedroom apartment, she says. Because I want to take them all home with me. The TAP hearings consist of social worker Sharon Yow, who works for the State Attorney s Office, and a volunteer mediator.
Parents attend along with their children, and the discussions are frank and informal.
Last year, he missed 65 days. He s currently mired in the sixth grade for the third time. Every time I go to school, everybody ranks on me, he tells mediator John Cusick. They call me fat boy. Duane says he wants to get past sixth grade.