:::calling all bloggers

i need your help. seeing as how one of our focus standards is persuasive writing, we asked our sixth graders to write a persuasive essay to their parents about what they would like for Christmas. what follows is the work of one of my students:

Dear Mom,

All I want for Christmas this year is to go and visit my birth father. I have not seen him since I was 1 year old.

I really desire that gift! What I know about him so far is that he lives in Phoenix, Arizona. His name is Francisco Vxxxxxxxx.

The most important reason why I want to visit him is because I hate not having a dad. I mean, my stepfather is o.k But I want the feeling of beeing [sic] able to have a dad. Most people take their dads for granted. If I had my dad I would love and cherish him.

Thank you for trying to grant this wish.

Yours truly,

Imelda Vxxxxxxxx

i wish there was some way we could help this girl. i'd like to call her mom and ask her if she has any information as to where the dad might be but imelda's mom is just not dependable. she's never showed up for conferences. with the two older brothers, it was the same. my first encounter with her was through the oldest brother i had as a student. he lacked structure. because of this and the "mother"'s inability to parent, i was forced to pay home visits. it became obvious that this woman has no parenting skills. due to this, the mom would be useless in this matter.


in the spirit of christmas, can somebody help grant this wish?