'The Sanctuary of School' - reflection

This was a great story about a young girl with a troubled home life finding solace in her school life. The story was called The Sanctuary of School by Lynda Barry. The first sentence in the story is "I was seven years old the first time I snuck out of the house in the dark." Upon reading this - my maternal instincts quickly jumped into gear and I became fearful for this little girl! It isn't until later in the story the reader discovers that the author, also the subject of the tale - snuck out of the house in the early morning hours when all is still calm and dark. From the first sentence I was provoked into further reading to find out what happened to this girl. Would she get hurt? What was her family like and would they worry or come looking for her? And regardless of the time she ran away from home this little girl was only seven years old! I was concerned for her safety. Ms. Barry continues to write about her family life and describes her parents as absent and neglectful, thus resulting in her finding comfort and security in school surrounded by her peers and teachers who recognized and valued her presence. As a young girl she finds pleasure and contentment in school through art and drawing, coupled with the affection and support of her teachers. She did not have this sort of attention and support at home. This made me sad for her and I wondered about her brother whom she mentions also sharing a troublesome home with. The ending left me wondering about her parents and whether or not they ever knew or cared that she had gone missing. She felt as if her absence would have gone unnoticed either way, and as a result found a more supportive and secure environment at school than she did at home. Her story speaks to the power of the adage "it takes a village to raise a child". Here, Ms. Barry illustrates the importance of our education system and how it often becomes a babysitting service for children from broken homes, and so the educational system is worth more than the credit it is given.