WA: Siddhartha

First, another example of my embarrassment and ineptitude in the cultural proficiency department. One holiday season I'm meeting with my client in attorney visiting down at the jail, and I'm going on and on about, "I'll really really try to get you out of here in time for Christmas."

"Why?" asked my Southeast Asian Buddhist client.

Next, a positive story about how one teenager transcended the juvenile justice system. From the Seattle Times:

Tough-love remedy for an unruly teen: Two years. With monks. In Cambodia.

Chou Sa-Ngoun was desperate.

Her teenage son was skipping school for weeks at a time, using drugs, getting arrested, staying out all night, hanging out with the wrong kids.

Nothing she did seemed to make any difference. Grounding didn't work. Neither did yelling, crying, taking away privileges, counseling, switching schools, probation or stints in juvenile hall...

Finally, at the end of a family trip to Cambodia in 2004, Chou told Michael that they were leaving him behind. She, her husband and Michael's two younger siblings returned to their Tukwila home while Michael remained in a remote village to be raised and taught by monks in a Buddhist temple...

It's a good article with a happy ending. This Idaho boy could stand some more exposure to stories like this.