Letter to the Trib

No one wanted to believe me.

No one wanted to believe something like this could happen.

This kind of thing doesn't happen in the affluent pockets of suburbia. Hell, it isn't even supposed to happen in America, but if it does, it happens in one of those neighborhoods full of those people.

It did happen, though, and it happened right in your backyard. It happened to one of my students and I don't want it to ever happen to any child ever again.

I first met Mackayla last year when she transferred to my school as a fifth-grader. Without looking at her file, I could tell she had the diagnosis of ADHD and ODD.

I've always been known as a lover of the "problem child," so my administration pulled me aside before assigning Mackayla to my caseload.

Mackayla's parents had made a considerable donation to the school and I was expected to be as diplomatic as possible. I was expected to handle behavior incidents quietly. The situation was surreal and took a turn for the worse.

Mackayla was on my caseload this year and was the source of the greatest sadness that I have experienced in my teaching career. She was always tired, never completed assignments, and told stories about her home life that didn't spell out a healthy environment.

Her diet consisted solely of fast food, and the only reason she remained so small was that her medication curbed her appetite for most of the day.

Mackayla did not participate in any afterschool activities and had few interests outside of social media and video games. I suggested some school clubs to her parents but these were quickly shot down.

Mackayla seemed to take care of herself. She did her own laundry, woke herself up, and set her own bed time. This resulted in her disheveled appearance; hair barely kept in a bun, dark circles under her eyes.

There were other times when Mackayla looked well put together, though she credited these instances to YouTube and tiktok tutorials. Her clothes would be wrinkle-free, her hair in order, and her makeup done; she looked herself.

There were several times that Mackayla came to school with scrapes or bruises. I filed several reports but these injuries were always attributed to her carelessness while playing outside.

The administration refused to believe that anything was wrong and I was threatened with termination if I continued to pursue the matter. DCFS investigated but found nothing. I even went to the police.

I know I will lose my job and my credentials for disclosing all this but I can't sit by and let those people get away with it. I've attached all the documentation that I compiled this year. I can only hope that someone at the Tribune will take this seriously and will find the answers I couldn't.

Mackayla's funeral was last week. The police are investigating but they suspect no foul play. Please, give her the justice that I could not.

Sincerely,

Casey Reynolds.