Suspension!

My senior son was suspended from school (on assault charges) for 10 days! 

He has a hearing before Nov 13, to determine if he can return to school.
 
Why?

Because he stood up for his younger sister, when another young man who has been bullying her since school started, started calling her a liar - right where was my son was standing.

What makes this worse - is that we go to church with this family.  And this young man and my son have already been involved once before in something similar, because this same young man shoved another girl into the door extremely hard (thus hurting her) on his way (he was shoving everyone) to get to dessert that night at youth group.

I am not denying that my son did this - he and his sister told us right away what happened.  However, given this young man's actions in the past (ugly things said to her and to her friends, hitting her in the face with his binder, zip-tying her backpack shut and to the desk)...

can we blame my son for responding the way he did?

We have decided that there is no punishment for him being suspended - as he was standing up to a bully in defense of his sister.

You know - he may not be the perfect child.  As a matter of fact, he has been acting like quite a jerk lately, but he did what was right - when it was needed...

and that is what matter the most.