The B

Maybe you don't know Mackenzie. If you do, then you know that she sets very high standards for herself and others, and expects them to be met. She has very little patience for idiocy.

I just returned from her Parent-Teacher Conference. Her teacher started out by asking if I had any concerns or if there was anything I'd like her to know.

As a matter of fact.....

"You need to know that Tara drives Mackenzie insane. She can't stand to be around her. Tara does and says things that Mackenzie can't understand and it makes her completely freaked out. So last week, when Tara sat at Mackenzie's desk during Math (while Mac was in another classroom) and rearranged it, and wrote on it, and used her scissors to cut up a piece of paper and leave it scattered about her floor, she completely lost it. Could you please not have Tara sit at her desk anymore?"

About halfway through this tirade/request, she started grimacing and nodding and looking terribly sympathetic. She said that the 5th grade team has issues with Tara and no one knows what to do with her (I've got a few ideas, but I'll just keep them to myself) and understands how Mac feels. She will maybe have to turn around the desk when Tara is visiting.

And then she told me how another 5th grade teacher gave Mac a "B". In reading. And yup, there it was, right in the middle of all those A's lined up like soldiers on her report card.

"Oh, no, you didn't give her a B in reading."

"Well, Miss Blah-Blah did, but it means that her comprehension is good, she's just not making inferences from what she reads. She's still at grade level."

At which point I looked at this (very nice, just out of diapers, still has callouses from where she sucked her thumb) teacher like she had 2 heads.

"She's always read several grades above her level. Reading is her favorite subject. She is going to Freak Out. I'm not going to tell her."

"Well, you can call Ms. Blah-Blah if you want."

And I gave her the look that says, "And say what to her? You change my baby's grade to an A right this very instant young lady! Or else!"?

I just cannot fathom how in kindergarten, and in first grade, and in second grade, and in third grade, and in fourth grade, she has ALWAYS gotten A's in reading, but all of a sudden, in 5th grade, she's not performing. She's read around 25 books this year. All above her "grade level". I could understand if "something" were going on and all of her grades went down. Maybe she is stressed, or the Virginia school system is too hard* (snicker-snicker) but that is Clearly Not The Case.

So, my plan is to be "That Mom" who thinks that the reading teacher is Wrong, and just ignore the fact that she got a B. (I could just lie and tell her she got all A's...) I will not call the teacher. How foolish would that be? ( "Mac is real smart...please give her an A so you don't hurt her feelin's.") No, the plan is to not say anything and maybe she'll never find out. Even if I did tell her, I'd have to include how Stupid her reading teacher obviously is and how it's not her fault that her teacher is so Stupid and obviously Wrong and even in my alternative parenting style I try not to criticize her teachers too often.

Much better to lie to her about her grade. Excellent plan!

*These folks here in Fairfax County, they sure are proud of their schoolin'. They all told me how my chillins, coming from Californy and Japan and Inni-ana, would prob'ly have a rough time of it round these parts, them Virginians bein' so smarts and alls! Why it be's hard for us countryfied corn-fed Military types to understand all this culture and shit they got here! Good thing we gots the Discovery Channel and the History Channel, so when my lil tots be done with all the homework from their's AP and Honor's classes and makin' A's and shit in math and science, they can get caught up on theirs learnin'!

(Late Parental Edit 6.30.06 - This was the only "B" on her report card.)