Chapter 7

Katie Dalton, Monday January 10, 2011

By the time I got downstairs, Taylor and Shelby were already eating breakfast. Mom was drinking her coffee and watching the morning news. It was something about a court decision.

"Well I'll be," Mom said. I could tell she wasn't happy.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Have you seen this?"

"Seen what?"

"They're making every kid in Texas go to school naked," Shelby explained.

"What?"

"It's that naked in school program," Mom said.

"How can they make kids do that?"

"It's the court. They say everyone has to do it or they're violating someone's rights."

The newscaster was talking. "The new rules will allow parents to exempt their children on religious or cultural grounds. Children themselves will not be allowed to opt in or out of The Program without a judicial waiver..."

Mom snorted. "We'll see how long that lasts."

"Does that mean they'll have the Program at Bidwell High?" Taylor asked.

Just then, my little sister Haley came downstairs. Mom hurriedly turned off the TV before turning back to Taylor.

"No, they say it's just in Texas for now."

"What's just in Texas?" Haley asked.

"Umm ... cowboy hats," Mom responded, "what would you like for breakfast? We got strawberry Pop-tarts yesterday."

"Yummy! I'll have one of those."

"Katie, would you like a Pop-tart?"

"No thanks." I had gained two pounds over Christmas and was trying to watch my diet. I poured myself a bowl of cereal and some milk.

Haley bolted down her breakfast and then went back upstairs to get dressed. When she was safely out of earshot, I asked mom:

"What are we going to do if they do that in Nebraska?"

"I don't know sweetie. Hopefully they won't do it until you all graduate. I'm more worried about Haley. We don't really have the money for private school."

"Well, they said on the TV that you can opt your kids out," Shelby noted, "Maybe they'll let you do that here too."

"Even if they did, I wouldn't want her running around with a bunch of naked kids. They had a man give a talk about The Program at church a while ago. I won't even tell you what he said they have the children do to each other. It's not fit for this house."

I finished my cereal and went back upstairs. I picked out a cute top and a pair of jeans and began dressing, praying that they wouldn't bring The Program here as I did so.