Apparently 3rd grade is a pivotal time for girls. Zoe and her classmates range in age from 7 1/2 (my Zoe) to nearly 9 (the other Zoe). The thing is, while my Zoe is the youngest, she is among the tallest in her class, so it's not like she's young and tiny (OK, small consolation).
According to the principal of Zoe's school, 3rd grade could best be renamed the mean season. It is a time when all the girls get really mean to each other.
Since the start of school there have been several incidents of notes being
passed among the girls. The notes range from your garden variety: so-and-so has a crush on so-and-so; do you like so-and-so, please check yes or no; you are cool; to so-and-so's parents are not cool.
My Zoe was on the recieving end of a your parents are not cool note. It crushed her.
The fact that the note was written by the dorkiest kid in her class about my daughter, a kid that wears a leather motorcycle jacket to school and gets picked up from school on a motorcycle, was lost on my sensitive little girl. Further componding this was that neither Chuck nor I were crushed to find out that in the eyes of the 3rd grade, we're not cool. I told Zoe that I'm so cool I don't care that no one thinks I'm cool. Chuck fessed up to being tragically unhip as I recall.
Well, the note passing has reached epic proportions apparently. So much so that the principal had to step in today. Paper and pencils are banned from the playground. Note passing will not be tolerated.
All the girls, guilty or innocent were talked to on the playground. The new rules were repeated in the classroom, in front of all the kids and the teachers.
I'm glad to see that there are voices of reason at her school. I'm glad to see that justice was administered quickly and, in my opinion fairly.
It will making writing that next tuition check not hurt so much.
Posted by beth at September 25, 2003 06:22 PMI think a peanut butter pencil should go in her next lunchbox.
Posted by: Chuck at September 25, 2003 09:11 PM