ABSTRACT
Martha cringed as her mother approached her with an angry look on her face. “Mama, mama! I'm sorry. I'll be good. What did I do wrong?” “You were born!” her mother screamed as she pushed Martha into the small dark closet and locked the door. “No, Mama! Please! Please!” Martha sobbed. Martha heard her mother leave the house with a loud bang of the door and the house became quiet. Soon however, the rats who lived within the walls began to emerge, biting Martha on the ankles where her skin was exposed. She attempted to bat them away, screaming for her mother. Although this may seem like an extreme case, there are many children who face home lives this stressful or worse. School personnel can be of great help to these children, and have an important role to play in their lives.
