This morning it started out bad, we got up a little late, which meant the kids wouldn't ride the bus, which they love riding the bus. But then I looked outside seeing the rain with some little snow flurries. The kids were excited and we talked about how it would be cool if it would stick to the ground so that we could make a snowman and play in the snow after school.
After the kids were ready and the car was warmed up we headed off to the school. I got a little irritated when we pulled up some guy had his car parked blocking the drop off drive, directing us to go to the parking lot. This would have been fine but I didn't have a jacket and it was wet and cold. As we pulled up in the line of cars I noticed that there were a few women walking up to the cars and talking to the drivers. I didn't think of anything because the kids are not let off the busses until after 8:10 anyway, sometimes they have to sit there until 8:15, so I didn't think about anything when we didn't see any kids outside. At this time I turned around to the kids and told them not to get out yet so they wouldn't have to walk through the parking lot and to have a good day and follows the rules, it's something we do everyday.
As I turned back around a woman walked up to the car and said go ahead the others were moving. So as we pulled up closer to the building and stopped, I went ahead and told the kids it's okay to go and to have a good day and that I love them.
As they opened their doors another woman came rushing over and said the kids were not allowed in the school, "I was not told this by the woman prior". She said the school was vandalized and no kids were allowed on the premises, the kids on the busses were not allowed to get off and that we could sit around and wait or go home and call the school to find out if they can be allowed in.
What makes this so irritating and upsets me is this:
in the last three (3) weeks this elementary school has been vandalized four (4)
different times. The first time my kids were stuck sitting on the busses and was finally let into the school after some time which I didn't find out about until later in the day. The second time I recieved a voice recorded message from the principle before the kids had to go to school and then today. As everyone knows, I don't work, although I would like too, so it's not interfering with my job. But what about the parents who do work?
The kids are starting to get really irritated with this because it interfers with their learning, they like going to school. And especially with this week, they are doing a little more fun stuff along with learing before they go on Christmas break. They have even talked about wanting to go to a different school because of the vadalizim.
The school keeps telling us that they, the school district and police department are doing their best to protect our children and that they are not in immediate danger. After the second time you would think that they would do even more to help protect the school, like more patroling around the school. I know there are enough parents and community members who would be willing to drive by the school to check to see nothing is out of the ordinary. Our children are supposed to be safe at school. And this time of year makes it hard. Apparently they don't even have any leads, just therories on older kids being mischivious. When someone destroys school property, they are invading our children. Our children spend 7 hours a day 5 days week at school, it's not the same amount of time they spend at home but it is enough time to say school is like their second home.
I have been pleased with the grades my children have been bringing home, they are doing better at this school then the one they attended prior. I know that the vadalizim was taken place after school hours and our children were not in any immediate danger but where does it end? When will our children along with ourselves as parents not have to worry so much? What will happen if even more damage is caused and the kids are not allowed in school for more than just a couple of hours. This is one of the reasons why Marvin and I don't live in Vegas, we didn't want this kind of thing happening to our children. It would still concern me if it only happened the one time, but when it happens 4 times in 3 weeks, something has to be done to help protect our children and their right to an education.
