School Days

**Update: I came back and read this and wow - it's long. I was writing from a place of frustration so I apologize for the sentence fragments and bad grammar up front!**

I think I mentioned awhile back, at the end of school last year, how my son's kindergarten teacher helped me write a letter to the Principal requesting that he be placed with a specific 1st grade teacher (I actually gave them my two top choices.) I wrote this letter because I had heard nightmares from countless people about a specific 1st grade teacher (I heard the same thing from parents, Z's kindergarten teacher, the after care director...so I tend to believe the stories.) Anyway, I write this letter. Hand deliver it to the office in May when school lets out. I happily go about my summer, since everyone has told me they honor these requests.

Fast forward to the Friday before the new school year starts. I am away on my NY business trip. Hubby gets a phone call from the school that says heh - you need to come sign some forms so your son will be registered! (Despite the fact that I called the week before I left to make sure we were all done! GRRR!) Anyway, he goes into the school to finish the forms and when he picks me up at the airport later that night, he gives me the paperwork, along with his class assignment. And guess where my son's been placed? Ding, ding ding! You win a penny! The nightmare teacher's class. I am ROYALLY pissed.

So the first day of school comes around. I march into the office and join 100 other parents doing miscellaneous first day stuff. I happen to catch the Assistant Principal (sheer luck) and start talking to her about the situation (without using teacher names - because I'm trying to be discreet) and giving her a copy of my letter. She TOTALLY agrees in a way that makes me think she knows this teacher is a nightmare. (Um, hello? Why is she still teaching 1st graders then??) Anyway, she tells me that it is "very likely" they will be able to move Z. However, I still need to take him to his assigned class for the next few days until they can determine where there is room, etc.

Happy in the knowledge he will most likely be moved, I walk Z to his class. We get to the door and the teacher is standing there with a clipboard, blocking the door. Literally. She asks my son's name. She asks him how he is getting home. Then she tells him to go sit down. No introducing herself to my son, no 'hello' to me. Didn't let the parents in the room (other parents were there too, kind of wondering WTF?) I was NOT impressed and that first impression confirmed my resolve to get Z out of that class.

That night when we got home, there was a message on our answering machine from the Assistant Principal - they will be able to move Z in a few days. Yeah! Every day last week I ask Z if he's been moved out of his class. (I warned him that they move students around at the beginning so they might have to move him...just trying to prepare him.) So it comes to Friday. And you guessed it! He's still in that class. I'm pissed. I call the Assistant Principal Monday morning to kick some ass. I have to leave a message and I restrain myself, asking nicely, WTF is up. She leaves me a message while I'm away that the Principal is having a meeting Wednesday to determine final moves. He should be moved by Thursday or Friday and I should get something from the school when it happens.

I'm happy it looks like he's going to move, but I'm pissed it has taken so long. He's already getting used to the kids, the routine of the class, etc. I hope it happens as quickly as possible and there are some kids from his old kindergarten class in his new 1st grade class.

So, I guess this whole diatribe is my way of asking what you think. Would you be as annoyed as me, or have I blown this way out of proportion?? Hubby said he would have left Z in the class and just moved him if a problem arose.