Professor holds boy, keeps teaching when single mom brings him to class

http://wkrn.com/2015/09/22/professor-holds-boy-keeps-teaching-when-single-mom-brings-him-to-class/

By Lori Mitchell
Published: September 22, 2015, 6:14 pm | Updated: September 23, 2015, 10:14 pm

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – A single mother and student in Nashville had to bring her son to school with her, and the understanding she received was more than she could’ve asked for.

Amanda Osbon studies at DeVry University, located in south Nashville, and didn’t have a choice but to take her son to class on Monday.


“I was embarrassed. I had to swallow my pride and bring my kid to class,” Osbon told News 2 on Wednesday.

But she noted that school is like a job. “You can’t miss work, so you can’t miss school.”

Osbon said her son, who is almost 2 years old, got up during class and wanted to be held by the professor.

Professor Joel Bunkowske, who Osbon says “was amazing, patient and kind,” didn’t skip a beat.

He picked up little Xzavier and continued to teach his class.

“That made me literally start crying. I broke down. My classmates started hugging me,” Osbon told News 2 on Wednesday. “He went up to my professor and put his little arms up like that and without missing a beat my professor picked him up and kept teaching, and it was amazing to see that.”

Bunkowske, a local lawyer who teaches at DeVry’s Keller Graduate School of Management, said picking up Xzavier was natural.
DeVry professor holds boy
Professor Joel Bunkowske (Photo: WKRN)

“He came and he just help up his hands and looked at me with those eyes,” he told News 2.

Bunkowske said Osbon is “the best,” a 4.0 student. He says that if someone wants an education, nothing should stand in their way.

“If you’re going to miss class because you don’t have a babysitter, I’d much rather let’s find a way to accommodate that for adult working people.”

Osbon told News 2 she shared her story with us because she just wanted something good to come of the situation.

“My professor deserves all the praise in the world. He’s an amazing person; he’s just wonderful,” she explained.

She also said her unwavering hard work is because she wants to give little Xzavier what she never had growing up.

Osbon and Bunkowske’s story has now gone viral, reaching millions of people across the country since it was posted to WKRN’s Facebook page Tuesday night.

Presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton shared it on her own Facebook page after the story began to trend on the social media website.

This is a cool thing. Most instructors are accommodating as they can be in unusual circumstances.

I do think college students should have a back up plan for day care. As a single parent I had a list of people and licensed day care homes I could use. AND I set aside money from my student budget to afford day care. Most schools are more than willing to help a single parent to enroll their child in on premise's or near by licensed day care by going to the schools Special Student Services co-ordinator.

Allowing a toddler to roam around a classroom is a distraction to the other probably multiple single parents that planned better and this mother should be thanking her classmates as well.

I am not as hard hearted as I sound because I am on a list at my local college for free emergency day care. Something I would hope other single parents would also do. It does "take a village" to manage as a single parent.