Liberty and Justice For All

The first-day drop-off was going fairly well until they busted out the Pledge of Allegiance. Turns out they still say this every morning at public schools. I remember all the words, and the recitation of this long-dorment vow of fidelity to the union brought back so many memories that it was hard to hold back the tears. But I managed to keep it under wraps until Booper was out of view, then I let out a few sobs. sniff. I am not the type to generally consider him "my baby" and all that, but it's pretty overwhelming to send your child off to school with so many variables and other factors beyond your control. It's hard to trust. Which is why I feel better to know that at least Booper is with his "meshbuchuh." (Yiddish for "his people.")

Now that we are back home, I can say definitively that the day went very well. No tears or reluctance for Booper. He had a lot of fun today, loves his new teacher, and is looking forward to going back tomorrow. I have some new information to share, also.

1) Coincidentally, we ran into one of his new classmates at the shoe store on Saturday as we purchased his Kindergarten Shoes. This girl is one of the few non-Korean kids in the class. I learned, from her mother, that both her parents are Israeli and her older sister also went through the Korean Immersion program in the past. You would think I would have a lot in common with these people and maybe even feel a kindred spirit. But then she made this irritating statement: "We don't really care about Korean. We just like the private school feeling of the program." I nearly lit her hair on fire. What do you mean you don't care about the Korean part of the program, you posers? That's the whole point! It's people like you who are taking the slots that should go to children and families who are connected to Korean and will involve themselves fully in the field trips, class projects, and cultural opportunities. (Did I mention that the First Lady of South Korea visited the school last year?) Then she went here: "We like it because there are no behavorial problems in this class. These kids are all inclined to do well academically. So the class is quiet and focused on learning." I guess that's good, but why does the way she said it leave a bad taste in my mouth?

2) After drop off this morning, the Handyman and I were evaluating how many of the other kids and families are Korean. He said, "Wow. You weren't kidding. There is a whole lot of Korean going on there." (For the record, I noticed 3 kids with the last name Lee and 4 kids with the last name Kim, out of 19 kids.) To my surprise, he followed with this, "I hope Booper doesn't get a lot of teasing and trouble from the all-Korean kids because he is only part Korean." I have read about this situation on KimchiMamas, so I was prepared that it was possible. But I didn't realize the Handyman was tuned in to it. Fortunately, there are 2 other Hapa kids in the class, plus the two non-Asian kids, so I expect it won't be a huge problem.

3) The class seems to be predominantly female. Of 19 kids, I'd say 12 are girls. This bodes well, as Booper has a way with the ladies.

4) We are totally free of Veruca now. She remains behind in Pre-K. So that whole drama is Ovah!