“My oldest daughter, Sierra, was born in 2007. She was beautiful and the best thing that ever happened to me. Her biological father was arrested when she was six weeks old, sentenced to 10 yrs in prison, then deported & I have had sole custody of her. I have never received any financial assistance or child support for her.”

“She was in and out of hospitals, constantly sick, and struggled in school. At one point I worked several jobs trying to pay for a tutor.”

“She was also diagnosed with Robertsonian translocation which is a derivative chromosome 15;21. Only 1 in 1000 babies born have this.”

“This has been linked to Down syndrome & autism. In 3rd grade, Sierra was diagnosed with A.D.D. and dysgraphia by a neurologist and a pediatric developmental specialist. She was put on the 504 plan at school to receive accommodations for school.”

“She struggled and I helped as much as I was able to with the help of tutors, counselors, doctors, and the school. At the end of her 8th-grade year, she refused to go to school. Between her 8th and 9th-grade year, after getting the school, multiple doctors, the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s office, and FINS involved, we found out that she was sexually assaulted and bullied.”

“After 3 psychiatric hospital stays, multiple trips to the ER, suicide attempts, failing the 1st semester of 9th grade, running away, cutting her hair off & dying it black, she was diagnosed with severe PTSD and is currently in a children’s home in Ruston receiving medication management, psychiatric care, therapist care, and attending school.”

“When my daughter is released from the children’s home in a matter of months, she is unable to attend public school. Her therapist agrees with me on this decision as well as her other medical providers.”

“I cannot afford the cost of a private school as a single mother. Parents of children should have a choice of schools where their child would be able to function academically.”

“It’s been so hard.”

“I cannot afford the cost of a private school as a single mother. Parents of children should have a choice of schools where their child would be able to function academically.”

“I want to cry thinking about it. It’s not sadness, it’s happiness. Coming from Denham Springs, being a low-income, struggling single mother, knowing nothing about politics, knowing that I was able to make an influence to help children is – I can’t even describe it. It’s pure joy and happiness. There are so many kids that will need this now or even later on.”

– Shannon Mejia-Flores | Parent | Denham Springs, LA