In a quiet classroom, a little girl tells her teacher a big secret. This story centers on Rachel, a seven-year-old girl, and her teacher, who uncovers a tale no child her age should ever have to endure. Hey there, I’m Susan, a second-grade teacher with more stories from the classroom than I can count. But there’s one story that sticks out, one that’s stayed with me long after the school bell rang. I’m sharing this not just as a teacher, but as someone who’s seen the impact of the secrets and struggles our kids carry. It’s about Rachel, a bright light in my class, and a secret that was too big for her small shoulders. Here’s how it all unfolded in the quiet after-school hours of our classroom. So there I was,

the day winding down, the last echoes of kids’ laughter fading down the hallway. And there’s Rachel, again, the sole figure in an empty classroom. This wasn’t a new scene, but something about that day felt heavier. Maybe it was the way Rachel seemed more alone or how the silence felt thicker. “Your mom’s running late again?” I asked, trying to sound upbeat. Deep down, I felt a twinge of worry. “I’m pretty sure she’s just caught up with something. She’ll be here soon,” I added, more to convince myself than Rachel. My fingers tapped nervously on the desk as I tried to force a smile. The classroom was slowly getting dark, I’d already sent the teaching assistant home. No point in both of us staying late because of Rachel’s mom’s forgetfulness. This whole waiting game was becoming too familiar. Sometimes it was just a few extra minutes; other times, it stretched into hours. The only consistent thing was her mom’s knack for being late. Rachel was such a bright spot in class, curious and smart. It made no sense why she had to deal with this. And don’t get me started on the other kids. They had somehow gotten it into their heads that Rachel was a witch, excluding her from everything. I tried talking to them, trying to get them to play nice. But no dice. Kids can be tough, especially when they decide someone is different. Day in, day out, it was the same story. Rachel waiting, her mom late. And me, stuck in the middle, wishing I could do more but not sure how to cross that line between teacher and something more. So, there was this time I figured, enough was enough, and called up social services, hoping to get some help for Rachel. But talking to them felt like hitting my head against a brick wall. “She’s looked after, not missing school, and she’s not out here looking like trouble,” they told me. “We can’t start poking around just because her mom’s always late and you’re a bit miffed about it.” Miffed? I was worried, not miffed. There’s a big difference. It was frustrating, feeling like I was the only one seeing there was a problem. “It’s okay, Mrs. Mulligan. I know she won’t come soon,” Rachel said, her little voice resigned. She didn’t even bother with her coat anymore, so used to this routine. It broke my heart. “Of course, she’s coming. She loves you… she’s just super busy,” I found myself saying. But those words felt hollow. Rachel’s mom always looked like she was carrying the world on her shoulders, tired, and jittery, barely noticing Rachel when she finally did show up. “She doesn’t love me. She’s scared of me.” Hearing Rachel say that was like a punch to the gut. No kid should ever feel that way. It was clear as day that something wasn’t right at home. “Why do you think your mom’s scared of you?” I ask. Without missing a beat, she said, “Mommy stays in her room the whole night. She only comes out to take me to school.” That hit me hard. Imagine, your only interaction being that brief. “She makes you dinner, though, right?” I had to ask. “Yeah, she puts my dinner on the table. I just take it and eat by myself,” Rachel said, like it was the most normal thing in the world. I tried to wrap my head around it. Rachel, home alone with just a plate of food for company, while her mom hid away in her room. “Is she hiding from something? Or someone?” I wondered aloud. “No, it’s just ’cause of me. She thinks she needs to stay in her room to be safe from me.” Safe? From her own daughter? That just didn’t sit right with me. “Why would she think she’s not safe around you?” “Because she thinks I might… because I’m a witch,” Rachel said, still swinging those little legs, her face blank. My heart just about broke. Here was this sweet kid, thinking she was some kind of monster because of some stupid kids’ taunts. And worse, her mom’s own fears were feeding into it. “Rachel, you’re not a witch. And you didn’t hurt anyone with magic powers. That’s not real,” I said, more firmly than I’d intended. “But I did make Stephanie fall. I know it,” she insisted, her belief firm. I remembered that day, clear as anything. Stephanie had just tripped, a simple accident. But the rumor mill among kids is something else.