First day of school was an unhappy one

My child is a first-grader at R.D. White Elementary. We were so excited to meet his new teacher, see his desk and name printed to let him know that this was his new place to learn and make new friends. That is not what we got.

I looked for my son’s name on the list posted on the handball courts. My son’s name was not on the list. I had to go to the main office and ask one of the workers, who gave me his classroom number. I thought that was it.

I dropped him off at the classroom. The classroom did not have a desk for him, nor were there desks for 9 or 10 other kids. How sad is that, making first graders feel like they are not welcome?

I returned at 2:10 p.m. to pick up my child. He was not in the classroom I left him in. I started to panic but I waited for all classes to come out.

He eventually came out with a different teacher and a group of students who looked confused. I asked the teacher that was leading them what was going on. She told me today was an interesting day and she doesn’t know much. Not only did they take my son out of a classroom that he was assigned to, they moved him to a new classroom without notifying either of his parents. They have our email and cellphone numbers.

If this is how the first-graders get treated, I can imagine how the junior high and high school students get treated.

They wonder why parents choose private education over this mess. Shame on you, GUSD. Shame on you, R.D White.

Steven Vasquez
Glendale