Yeah, I've got a case of it this morning...
I have no issues with the personal choices parents make regarding their child's education. I do have an issue when a adult "issue" takes up my child's class time...
Since we began at McKinley, I will not say it's been all roses. I mean, if you really know me, you know that that I am a very anal (retentive? haha!) and an OCD educator. If I was a Kindergarten teacher, I know I would run my class differently - but guess what?!?!?
I'M NOT.
So, that leaves me with 2 choices: leave the school or volunteer.
I have also learned that there is a choice that others take: whining.
While many have chosen to leave (which has just made it that much more pleasant for the rest of us) and I have chosen the latter option. My 1 hour a week of volunteering in the classroom has eased any personal issues I might have and my child has only shown excitement and glee for school both on campus and at home.
Right now, public school is working for our child's education.
We have no concerns that the work is "too easy" (I still think 5 year old doing calculus is freaky...) and we have no need to jump our child out of kindergarten...she needs the social skills. END OF STORY.
I don't care how smart the girl is, I am most concerned that my child is prepared for the public world.
So, as each day passes, parents and grandparents sit in front of the classroom or on the playground and talk about how awful this school is.
The major urk is that they are doing this in front of the children.
I am so, angry about this that if you need to know why, you're not going to get it.
(You might be part of the problem!?)
Today, 19 little 5-6 year-olds waited and waited as the student teacher very eloquently tried to handle some parent whining. (I am not surprised that the angry people waited until we had our first substitute teacher to tackle the student teacher...DISGUSTING.)
I have had to remove myself from these particular adults before as they don't seem to want to do anything but whine...it is unclear what actual action they have taken - and I suspect no concrete action has happened at this point, to be honest.
So, I would like to share some banter with the Internet to work out my anger.
MOM #1 - "It smells like pee in there. It's just so gross and disgusting."
ME - "I know for a fact that this is the very first year that this room is being used as a classroom. New carpets were put in, walls were painted, and all material were cleaned when pulled from storage. If there's pee in there, it's our kids that did it."
She walked away.
GRANDPA #1 - "My son has been an educator for 17 years and we have never seen anything like this place. ______________ (pick the topic of the day: schoolwork, discipline, etc. is not being addressed."
JOBI: "Perhaps you would like to have an additional teacher meeting or meet with the admin about this?"
GRANDPA #1 - "We wrote an email and there was no response."
JOBI - "Who did you send it to?"
GRANDPA #1 - "The superintendent."
JOBI - "Perhaps you might start with our kid's teacher, or perhaps the Principal? Maybe do a re-send requesting a response..."
GRANDPA #1 - This place f@^#ing sucks.
I walked away from that one.
ANGRY MOM #2 - "I'm pulling my kid from this school."
ME - "Oh."
Well, as it turns out, I was the only person angry mom #2 spoke with. After the child was gone for a week, I mentioned to the student teacher - "Oh, (Insert child's name here) has left." His response: "What are you talking about?!"
I shared with him the interaction with angry mom#2.
We both decided that teacher just didn't mention it to him.
At pick up, teacher approaches and asks me about child & angry mom #2.
I had known for 2 weeks angry mom #2 was pulling her kid.
She told no one else.
She also neglected to go to the office and remove her daughter from enrollment.
It's a real doozey as she registered her child the day before school started and that bumped the class up to too many students.
SO - all because of angry mom #2 and her odd choice of telling only me...another child was selected to move to another classroom as the class roster was too large.
(I won't even start on the potential effects of a classroom switch at any age...but Kindergarten?!?! Poor little guy.)
Today, I was preparing their communication folders and I finally noticed the stink that Mom #1 spoke of. (It was in the coat/bag area). After following my nose, I discovered a lunch bag mixed with the snack station.
It was the lunch bag of child of angry mom #2. (Who has been out for about 3 weeks now.)
Full. Of. Mold.
In case you are wondering: Am I pissed at the teacher for this? NO!
The bag was so obscurely located that I'm wondering if it was planted there!
Plus, we've all had the plague for 2 weeks now - this was the first day my sniffer has worked in a while.
Maybe I'll go try to make friends with angry mom #1 since at least we now know she actually smelled something and wasn't just making more drama.
BTW: If culture plays a part in any of this - I find it interesting to note that the people who whine the most, help the least & run the first chance that they can: all Caucasian.
Just sayin'
