handle with care

i returned to work last week after an extensive maternity leave.  one of the students in my class has confounded the rules of physics with an average of 8% (for the entire year).  how is that even possible, you ask?  lack of care and an overload of ignorance.  one might think i'm referring to the apathy of the student, but they'd be only half right.  no one can get to the end of the 3rd quarter with that kind of a grade without multiple people having given up on them.

why aren't the parents hollering, or guidance counselors setting up mandatory tutoring sessions? why is this student's response to my not allowing him to turn in a test that is completely blank, "the [long-term sub] just stopped passing out papers and quizzes to me."?  where are the people who care?

i make this student do a tiny fraction of the work required of other students each day.  it's not much, but it is a start to show him that someone cares.  does he do the work well or completely? no. but he knows (and he has acknowledged) that it would be far easier for me to ignore him like the others, so i must care about him if i'm going out of my way to make sure he stays awake and does something. 

he actually walks across the room to get a calculator now, and writes down a note or two without me reminding him!....it's a huge step in the right direction.  maybe i'll get to teach him next year...