When They Lie . . . A Child’s Betrayal

I have deep opinions about young people, 13 - 25. I have deep opinions about parenting, especially now that one of my children is a young adult. And I certainly have deep opinions about mental health, battling these challenges myself. I have a light story before I begin the serious topic at hand. My wonderful 13 year old child started a new school a couple of months late in the school year due to being on a wait list. He didn’t fit in and I truly believed he was picked on from day one, coming home really sad and frustrated, even crying to me that he hated that school. My son never cries. That wasn’t like him. He told me another child called him the “N” word, which set me off. I stormed to the Director, child in tow, demanding they tell me what was up for them to allow my son to be treated as such. They took me in a private room to calm me down. I demanded to know their timelines. I demanded to know who these kids were to call my sweet child the N-word. I mean I acted the fool because if you know me I’m sensitive about my son, maybe too sensitive at times.
Well they called this boy of mine into the office to get the details and this lying son of a gun told this administrator, “no they didn’t say it to me, they said it around me.” My jaw dropped. He continued with, “the school is fine”, “the kids are fine” to “I like it here”. I left that office looking like a loose cannon, pissed at this boy for lying. Of course he got the business from me for lying but sometime after, I knew my son needed some counseling. He wasn’t crazy, he was human. I on the other hand had to calm down. 
As a former school teacher, I was use to parents coming in panicking over their children’s actions, defending wrong and acting the fool. I knew better but it’s something about your child that takes you there. For me, my son’s lie and other stories that I can remember about my daughter just shows how normal they are. But I will go to bat for them every time if I believed they have been wronged or hurt and this goes into adulthood. 
Now imagine if I took that school my son went to to the press. Imagine if I brought up his exceptionalities or the racism that exist in the schools. Good Day, we may have had a story and if I believed he was hurt I may have been so foolish to drop names.
Now for Carlee Russell, let me make myself clear, I do not condone a liar. I do not excuse such dangerous actions by anyone but if we can remember Tawanna Brawley, caught in her own lies, Jussie Smollet, with his ridiculous story even the evil Carolyn Bryant, causing the death of beloved Emmitt Till, liars are nothing new. So, what’s my problem with all this. I ain’t a police officer, judge, jury to condemn somebody’s child. Deeming her as a scammer and clowning her is wrong. My opinions are just that, opinions and I add nothing to society with canceling, blacklisting, demeaning and tormenting another human being for their fall. And if that was my child, I would be ashamed of the culture. It’s how we handle mental disorders is what I have a problem with. Mental health is not an excuse, it’s a fact with suicide rates plummeting to 14.9% in 2019, the highest in history. And Carlee’s actions shows mental health is a factor. This is an educated Black woman who had a bright future. Something is seriously wrong for her to get tangled in this. I remember being in a domestic violent situation and throwing my ex’s clothes out of a window. When the cops arrived the narrative was this poor man lives with a crazy woman. Thank God that wasn’t in the news or else I guess everyone would be coming for me. 
Carlee’s mother didn’t know her child would lie and may still be in denial but it concerns me how the social media police are more brutal than the judicial system. It concerns me that the vile and hateful treatment we dish out to those that mess up really bad. Carlee is somebody’s child but this self righteous culture that ain’t never did nothing wrong has me blown. How do we heal if we don’t comfort the sick? My grandmother would be holding Carlee’s mother tight during these difficult times, not mocking her “fast behind” child as they once called me. My grandmother would be building her up for the battle ahead to find help for her daughter because that will be her baby no matter what.