First Day of School

Today was Bianca's first day of school. She was so excited. We put on her uniform, packed the final things in her way-too-big-for-her backpack, and drove her there. It's about a 20 minute drive. I brought her in, with a camera in tow, and got her settled in her classroom. I didn't feel that stupid--other moms were clicking pictures along the way. But I never seriously thought I'd be that mom. What can I say? This is a huge day for Bianca.

I had to stick around, as they had a flag ceremony at 9. All the parents were invited to stay. I was required to stay, as I had volunteered to be the yearbook editor (as part of my 20 service hours to the school) and had to snap pictures. I should have volunteered for something much less time-consuming. I'll learn. Remember, I'm a rookie at this whole PTA mom thing. (For the record: I did go to one PTA meeting and realized that it's definitely not me and that I'd never been less interested in anything more in my entire life. No more of those for me either.)

At the end of the flag ceremony, a couple police cars with lights blaring were parked to the edge of the street right next to the school. The entire street was blocked off. The kids were ushered inside. I left. I didn't think much of it until tonight when I heard from a friend on the street whose child is in Bianca's kindergarten class that it was a drug bust. And the school had a complete lock-up. One of the guys in the house had a gun. "Oh yeah," Bianca told me after my friend did, "the door to our classroom was locked today." Thanks for telling me now, Bianca.

It's funny. I felt like I was so ahead of things, giving her a head-start at her eduction, at a school that teaches a foreign language and has all these advanced programs. Where she wears her little MacDonald-plaid skort and knee socks. Now I feel like I'm sending my child off to a bad part of town. Too late now, tuition's paid. At least they busted them, it should be drug-free now, right?

Besides that event, Bianca's first day went fine. She loves her teacher, and most of the kids in the class were nice, and she excited about going back again tomorrow. With this new information, it's hard for me to be quite as excited.

I am having one major regret: I should have taken a couple pictures of the drug bust for the yearbook. I can see the caption already: New School Year Starts Off With a Bang.