Back to school time comes a lot quicker in Mississippi than it does in Montana. The boys went back to school on August 11th. It's been a tough transition for us all. Mississippi isn't ranked 49th out of 50 for nothin'! The boys are settling in, but boy do I have a fight ahead of me. Right now, the children get one recess A WEEK, and that's only if they earn it and it's dry out (not gonna happen). They get 50 minutes of gym class a day, but 0 minutes of unstructured time. Even lunch time is time to eat and get back to class. They also still "paddle" children here, like with a wooden board on their rears. I had to sign a form to say "no way" to that one. The boys come home with their brains fried everyday. They walk in the door and lay on the couch. I have more tears than I thought possible at homework time and I wait until after dinner to even mention it! They also do not have art or music and that's another battle waiting for me. Henry's teacher told me they don't have time for that, end of story. So once, I get my own life in order and get rid of all these boxes once and for all, into the fray I will go. One mom, from across the street already came by to enlist my help in the fight she started last year. Let's see if we can get Mississippi out of 49th place and into 48th!
3 comments:
Oh yes! that's very much how schools are here, too. Thankfully we at least have magnet schools. But some of them are very high pressure. no recess, either. It's usually too hot to go outside anyway.
The recess thing is a pet peeve of mine as well. At Blake's old school (even kindergarten kids) only had 10 mins of recess a day...and that was only if they "had time for it" - it usually meant they had recess about 2xs a week...for 5 yr olds! 1st grade same thing. 2nd grade they didn't even have recess (if they made it out there) until 1:30, school was out at 2:15! I'm glad to report though that Blake's new school has a 20 min recess EVERY day, regardless of heat or if they "have time for it".
Oh and the paddling thing...what the heck! That would NEVER fly with me either. Good luck with trying to change things. We've learned though that Southerners are stuck in their ways and aren't likely to change ANYTHING because, "That's the way it's ALWAYS been done."
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