Fired counselor: 'My son had nowhere else to go'
SEATTLE - A youth counselor who brought her son to work was fired from her job because of it. And now some parents in Seattle's New Holly Community are angry over the firing.
The kids she used to supervise still treat Catrice Dennis like a rock star.
But now the former youth development leader can't supervise them at the New Holly Community Center. Her former employer, Atlantic Street Center, canned her a few days ago.
"I'm feeling hurt. I'm feeling upset, and I feel really bad for the way that I was treated - just being taken away from the kids," she says.
The trouble started when Catrice brought her 9-year-old son Jeremiah to work while she was on the clock. In response, Atlantic Street Center suspended her for three days with pay.
"I work in a teen center that caters to the age of 9 to 18. My son is 9. He had no where else to go in the summer. I'm a single mother. I only work part time here, and I had no other place for my son to go," Catrice says.
She says Atlantic Street Center also asked her to write a letter, explaining how she would fix the situation. She was fired two weeks later.
Parents then wrote letters to show support for her work in the community.
"I trusted her. She helps my daughter, and she shares the value of parenting," says Ahmednur Yussuf.
"As a mother, what was she supposed to do? Leave her son on the street? He had no where else to go, and he's 9," adds Hibo Mohamed.
Atlantic Street Center officials said they are grateful for Catrice Dennis' work at the center with the children and that this isn't an issue of performance. But they say she violated policy when she brought her son to work.
Catrice insists she didn't know she couldn't bring her son. She claims the previous boss told her it's OK. But Atlantic Street Center says the rules are in the online handbook.
"I hope the situation is rectified," Catrice says. "I want to continue to have my relationship with the kids."
That may never happen - Atlantic Street Center says no second chances. But Catrice is hoping the director changes her mind.
The kids she used to supervise still treat Catrice Dennis like a rock star.
But now the former youth development leader can't supervise them at the New Holly Community Center. Her former employer, Atlantic Street Center, canned her a few days ago.
"I'm feeling hurt. I'm feeling upset, and I feel really bad for the way that I was treated - just being taken away from the kids," she says.
The trouble started when Catrice brought her 9-year-old son Jeremiah to work while she was on the clock. In response, Atlantic Street Center suspended her for three days with pay.
"I work in a teen center that caters to the age of 9 to 18. My son is 9. He had no where else to go in the summer. I'm a single mother. I only work part time here, and I had no other place for my son to go," Catrice says.
She says Atlantic Street Center also asked her to write a letter, explaining how she would fix the situation. She was fired two weeks later.
Parents then wrote letters to show support for her work in the community.
"I trusted her. She helps my daughter, and she shares the value of parenting," says Ahmednur Yussuf.
"As a mother, what was she supposed to do? Leave her son on the street? He had no where else to go, and he's 9," adds Hibo Mohamed.
Atlantic Street Center officials said they are grateful for Catrice Dennis' work at the center with the children and that this isn't an issue of performance. But they say she violated policy when she brought her son to work.
Catrice insists she didn't know she couldn't bring her son. She claims the previous boss told her it's OK. But Atlantic Street Center says the rules are in the online handbook.
"I hope the situation is rectified," Catrice says. "I want to continue to have my relationship with the kids."
That may never happen - Atlantic Street Center says no second chances. But Catrice is hoping the director changes her mind.