The Emperor was in good form last night at his Preschool Graduation. We are going to miss his teachers and aides so very much. This preschool has been everything that is RIGHT with public education in regards to the Emperor these last couple of years.

It hasn't always been that way. It used to be when G tested (or bombed LOL!) into the system that the entire month of October was spent talking about ghosts, witches, and pumpkins with faces on them. The old preschool was in a dirty basement with peeling lead paint that was impossible for wheelchair-bound kids to access. The attitude of the director, from her comments to me on the phone when she did not know I would be sending a child there, was that the parents generally have ignored raising their children and that's why they're behind or need help. Little fliers would come home in the backpacks each Friday encouraging parents to "get their GED" or sign up for free lunches. How condescending. But G is autistic and really needed the help. I'm honestly not sure now if I would send him or not if I had to do it over again. (Oh, poo, we don't get do-overs, do we?)

Now, there is a new building and a new director. The preschool is much more tolerant. Yes, I said the TOLERANT word! It's our word, too! I think we've totally and irretrievably lost the original meanings of gay and "molest" though... there was nothing more humiliating to watch than a pastor at a church I visited about eight years ago trying to "take back" the GAY word. He danced around on the stage talking about how GAY AND PROUD he was and I guess I wondered... does he have something to hide and this is his way of talking about it??!! That was bad for me to even think but yet I'm *still* thinking it! Even his wife was mortally embarrassed, but had to pretend to watch the sermon supportively... poor thing.

Anyway. The preschool does have a Halloween party, which is fine because they also have a Christmas party. But pumpkins and ghosts aren't up all month and I don't have to fight Every. Single. Day. about singing about witches and making jack-o-lantern crafts. I could just keep the Emperor home that day, but this year all they did really was dress up as firefighters or whatever and learn about bats and spiders. :]

I know for an absolute fact that these educators have a different philosophy and religion than I do. I appreciate that at least at the preschool, we can put those differences aside and find some really good common ground.

We're not sure what we'll be doing with the Emperor next year. I would really like to homeschool him because I know what that elementary school up the street is like. But I also remember that *kindergarten* at least wasn't too bad. I also remember that all it will take is my husband saying that Emperor can stay home and I can type a letter removing him from the district rolls in less than half an hour LOL! And honestly, his preschool teacher and I agree that academic-wise, he is DONE with kindergarten. What is there for him to learn there?

He has some high energy issues and maybe next year will help him learn to stay in line and participate quietly. But it also might break his spirit. I'm praying for my little guy because I want him to grow up LOVING to learn and becoming all God wants him to be.

OK, I'm off to dig up a pic of the Emperor at his graduation to post.