I woke early this morning, ridiculously early. I drove in the dark hoping to be one of the first in line. I remember teasing a friend years ago when she told me she slept in her car all night to be one of the first in line to get her soon-to-be-kindergartner in the school of her choice. As I sat in the parking lot of the admin building, watching the sun come up, I realized I am "that Mom" too.
We decided we want the boys to attend a school that offers a year-round program, no school uniforms, and higher standards in academics.
I was the first to arrive and set in the dark parking lot alone for quite sometime. As other cars began pulling into the parking lot I decided to stake my claim at the front door to be sure that I was still going to hold my status of first to arrive. The other moms followed my lead. We stood for about an hour, maybe a dozen of us, chatting anxiously and a bit awkwardly. They were swatting mosquitoes out of the way. I was thankful that I had thought to spray before leaving the house, even in my sleep deprived stupor. After an hour of standing, and almost 2 hours after my initial arrival, they opened the doors, handed out the paper that needed to be filled out.
"I need 2, please." I stated to the woman at the front door.
We took our papers, filed into the designated paper-filling-out-room and took our seats. As I began filling in the info on my first form I noticed the other moms racing, fast as their little hands would write, filling in their forms. Shit! Really? Are we racing? Guess so! One, then two, then three, then I lost count jump from the table and race back to the woman collecting the forms. Damn! I HAVE TWINS! I HAVE 2 FORMS! I started racing furiously to get the other one done and then raced up to hand mine in before the other two women that were also getting up at the same time. I beat them! Just those two but countless went ahead of me.
The woman took my forms and wrote a number on the top. It was numbers 8 and 9. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE 1 AND 2!! I was there first... I was there BEFORE the sun came up... 1-7 arrived after I did...
The woman that took my form said something like, "You were here first. You should be at the top of the stack."
"Yes." I said. "I was. Can you do anything about that?"
"No. But don't worry there are more than 9 slots available." This does not make me feel any better.
I called Clark and told him the story. I told him about how 1-3 were standing out front when I walked out of the building. They were talking amongst themselves perhaps about how they were able to be 1-3 without actually having to get up early. They turned to look at me, maybe to see if I had an annoyance on my face knowing that I was cheated. I smiled... appearing unannoyed. Though I am.
We'll find out in 2 weeks if we're in or not. They say space is limited to new transfers so fingers are crossed...
Will keep you posted.
Now, need to let this one go. These could very well be future moms of children that the boys will be inviting over for playdates and birthday parties. Don't want to hold a grudge for too long... MEAN MOMMAS!!
8 comments:
I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed for you guys!
BTW - I would have been totally TICKED off. Isn't it crazy how competitive people can get?!
HILARIOUS! But it is a war! They need to put those on the internet so you can fill them out before the doors open. I'm all about the year round program for children!!! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you guys ♥
Well, that is very frustrating! I would have had a much more difficult time keeping a happy face while walking past those mean mommmas! Nice job.
I will remember this as I am waiting in line trying to get H into the school of my dreams:) Thankfully, I still have a few years.
Another classic post...
next time you should bring someone else to fill out the second paper.. Haha I hope they get in!
Segregation never went away; as a society we just got more clever about how we do it. Somewhere in your town there is a school that is coveniently located to the poor neighborhood where the parents didn't find out about the "rave" or couldn't get there to stand in line because they'd get fired if they left their night shift job for such a thing.
All the kids whose parents value their child's education above all else get skimmed out of those schools and the school is left with brown kids, the ones who don't speak English, and the ones whose parents work all night and can't get them out the door on time, etc. That school school perpetually struggles with test scores and looks like a bad school and the school that your kids go to looks like a good school because the kids whose parents can play the game to get them in to it. The school really isn't any better; it just looks better because the undesireables got culled.
I would probably do what you did too, but the system stinks for the voiceless who can't play the game and society as a whole suffers because those at the bottom are kept down and the privileged stay privileged and the public is manipulated by politicians to demonize the staff at low performing schools.
I'll understand if you don't approve this for posting but I know you are a compassionate person who cares and can handle a little perspective. I did enjoy your account of the event.
John you are so right on all accounts. I have a good friend down here that teaches at "that school" you speak of. She used to take her children there too but finally pulled them and now they are in the district I am seeking to leave. They were picked on, distracted and struggled to make friends because of their upbringing. They are brown kids too and their primary language is Spanish (the only language spoken in the home). She stays because she cares and wants to make a difference in these kids lives. I would love for her to be the boys' teacher.
As for our decision it is solely based on it being a year round program. It is actually in a predominantly brown area whereas our district we will are leaving is more affluent and (from what I gather) more sport oriented and also is a 9 month program summers off.
So, while you are right in the fact that the system stinks and that these children struggle because of their lack of opportunity, that is not what is driving our decision...Either school would suffice for the boys.
Of course "No Child Left Behind" certainly doesn't help matters either... Agree?
Wow, year 'round school, and that's what you're choosing. I think our district is gradually going to go in that direction. I read some research a while back that showed that kids of lower socio-economic backgrounds loose reading levels over the summer while those economically advantaged gain when the don't go to summer school. Evidently the well-to-do kids are encouraged to read during the summer. Year 'round school aims to combat the drop.
One of the main problems with NCLB is that it is set up so that schools always looks like they're failing.
The alternative high school I teach at had its graduation this evening. It was powerful to see 40 kids who have overcome so much reach that milestone.
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