My elementary school had a "Zero Tolerance" policy on tardiness. My mom was also a drug addict. In my fourth grade year, she made me late for school every single day, whether five minutes late or an hour, because of her sloppy and slow behavior. The teacher had to have noticed that my mom was under the influence the many times she walked me to class with half-open eyes and occasionally drifting off while standing up, but she never brought it up or scheduled any conference. She only chastised me daily about tardiness. Me. Because four tardies counted as an absence, I was technically "absent" for a quarter of the school year. Also, excessive tardiness resulted in removing my field trip privileges, me having to wait ten minutes after everyone else to join recess, and my removal of ability to check out library books - reading was a passion of mine. I was only allowed to "check out" the shitty classroom books to maintain Accelerated Reader points. It was a lame goal, but at the time, becoming a safety patrol was my dream! Both my parents had been patrols when they were my age, and I worked very hard in my classes and strove to be a good example for others so I would get a chance to be awarded that orange seatbelty belt. When it was time to select safety patrols, my teacher rattled off a list of who was to be granted the title. She came up to the G's - my last initial - and then skipped to the H's and J's without saying mine. Even the poor-behaved little assholes got belts. Afterwards, I went up to her desk, fighting off tears, and asked her why I wasn't selected. She replied, stoic-faced, "A safety patrol always has to be responsible and punctual. I can't suggest choosing a tardy student." What a bitch, man In retrospect I don't understand why she completely ignored my mother's faults and assumed I, a nine-year old, was choosing to be constantly late and irresponsible.