Currently Listening No Child Left Behind Blues By Heather Stenner; accordion, Cheryl Miller Thurston; guitar, Tim Thomas, drums, Grant Evenson Piano and vocals see related

The floor is finished.  All it needs now is a coat of Mop & Glow which I hope to do tonight.  Things progress toward the Big Saturday Move.

But (there's always a 'but', isn't there?) there's trouble in paradise.

The public school system where my grandson is enrolled is not playing nicely.  When DU enrolled her stepson into kindergarten at the grade school he attends, they assured her it would not be a problem when they moved into a different district.  They touted themselves as a Choice School, part of shrub's No Child Left Behind charade.  They would provide bus transportation from her new house so he could continue to attend the same class/school he started.  What they neglected to tell her was that this was some special program she needed to sign up for, and now that signing deadline has passed.  Administration has been less than helpful, thankyouverymuch.  Their whole attitude seems to be, 'sorry, it's not our problem'.

If she transfers him to another grade school, there is no bus route/stop unless he walks a block and a half away from home, crossing a busy street to get there.  AT FIVE YEARS OLD.  Disregard the fact that the bus he will be riding passes right in front of their house on the way to that stop.  Because, it can't stop.  There is no designated bus stop, you know.  Not enough kids on that block to warrant a stop.  One child isn't enough?  No "Child" Left Behind??  Are you reading a plural anywhere in that statement?  I'm not seeing one.

She can either 1) drive him to and from school where he's currently enrolled, or 2) walk/drive him to the bus stop near their house to attend the new elementary, because his going alone is not an option.  Both choices include dragging along a newborn and a two year old.  And whaddayaknow, winter's coming.

It certainly sounds like THEY'RE LEAVING THIS CHILD BEHIND.

The third alternative, which they are seriously considering, is to pull him out of school altogether.  Which would be a shame for the kid, because he's really enjoying going to school.  If that happens, there will be much nasty-letter writing to follow.

Bureaucracy at its finest.  Suggestions?  Anyone?

Happy blogging.

  
      pw