A first-grader in Colorado was recently banned from using the girls’ restroom. Coy Mathis is a Girl Scout that loves pink and looks adorable with barrettes in her hair -- but she was born a boy. For that, her Fountain, Colorado school said that she would not be allowed to use the same facilities as her female classmates.

Coy’s parents have filed an official discrimination complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Division, and are speaking out publicly to defend their child. Mom Kathryn said, “The more you talk about something, the more awareness and acceptance there is ... we’re really just trying to make it known what the school has done and make them accountable.”

Wow, California isn't kidding with its truancy laws. After her two kids -- a second grader and a third grader -- skipped a bunch of school, 34-year-old mom Lorraine Cuevas has been sent to the slammer. And not just for a quick lesson to be learned either -- for 180 days!

It's not the first time we've heard of parents or students facing jail to stop truancy, but this case is harsh to say the least. Of course, it wasn't just a couple of days that her children missed either. According to KMPH, between her two children, they missed 116 days of school last year -- that's 10 percent of the school year.

School officials say they tried other methods, like sending letters and making phone calls, but she still didn't manage to get her kids to school. So now she sits behind bars, and her kids are reportedly attending school regularly. Problem solved, right?

This story out of Illinois in which a 9-year-old autistic boy was arrested for assault after an incident at school is as infuriating as it is heartbreaking. It's also a grim example of how ill-equipped our schools and society often are when it comes to dealing with autism.

Brandi Kirchner told KHQA about the incident that happened last week at the school of her son, Roger Parker, Jr. She said he had a "meltdown" during class, and school officials sent him to a "special area" to calm down. It didn't work, and after he climbed a dividing wall, the police were called.

As the officer pulled the young boy from the wall, the boy struggled and flailed, injuring his eye on the divider. At some point he reportedly kicked the police officer in the nose. Kirchner said the officer then pulled her son to the floor, handcuffed him, and took him to the police station. The traumatic event didn't end there. 

The back-to-school sales and clothes and backpacks and all those little things you didn't think you needed but have convinced yourself your kids have to have are probably making your head spin. It can be a really stressful time of year. Parents worry about all the stuff we can't control at school and kids do, too. Will they get good grades? How will the teacher be? Will other students pick on them? Homeschoolers don't have to deal with any of that. No measuring up to other kids, no awkward lunchroom moments, no raising a hand to ask to go to the bathroom. No worrying about having the coolest pair of sneakers because, well, shoes aren't needed around the house.

Homeschooling sure sounds great, but to be honest, I'm not sure I'm cut out for it because ... well, what if I totally mess that up and I end up being the worst teacher ever therefore making my kids F students? But apparently many parents are doing a much better job of teaching their kids than some schools.

Today is July 18. I have officially survived a full month of summer vacation. Half of the time Tweenie Bopper was in day camp, which is cool because she gets to do all kinds of activities she wouldn’t necessarily get a chance to dabble in otherwise. The other half of the time, she’s been at home.Now, I love my baby girl with every fiber of my being. She’s my heart. But I can say with all confidence that I could never, ever be a stay at home mom. No way, no how. It’s not that I don’t have respect for women who do it. It’s really the opposite, actually. They get all of my admiration for having the patience to be in their children’s presence all day and not rip patches of their own hair out in crazy lady haphazardness. But working from home and having a kid at home just aren’t my mix. I used to say that I could be a stay at home entrepreneur, but not a stay at home mom. Now I’m not even sure I could do that. 

The roller coaster ride that is Teen Mom just took another dip this week with more claims of abusive behavior. No, not Amber Portwood beating on her baby daddy. This time Dr. Drew Pinsky has called out April Baltierra for abusing her daughter, Catelynn Lowell.

Hey America, listen up. He just reminded parents everywhere that child abuse doesn't only mean marks on your child's backside.

Emotional abuse is damaging too, and it affects some 148,500 children every year. Want to put that in perspective? 

We're in the midst of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. And that number is more than three times more than the number of women who die from breast cancer annually in the United States.

This year we made the big decision to homeschool our oldest daughter. We weren't completely unsatisfied with the private Catholic school she attended for Pre-K and K, and thankfully, she didn't have any issues or problems.  However, there were enough things about the school that bothered us, and after researching our other options, and figuring out what was best for our family, we landed on homeschooling.   Like anything else, the sometimes single mom schedule makes everything quite a challenge, particularly when school can often be a respite. Aside from the obvious educational and social values of school, let's be honest here, many parents appreciate the time away from their kids and the subsequent break they get, whether they're stay-at-home parents or working parents who would otherwise be paying for childcare.  And when you're parenting solo, that time alone is extra precious. 

As we move along into the school year, you may find your child needs to take on some extra learning activities at home. Whether your kid is an eager beaver when it comes to learning or is struggling with a particular subject and needs extra practice, you can find literally millions of printable worksheets and learning games online.

We've rounded up 10 fun and FREE school worksheets and activities for your kid to do at home.