Way Too Early

When Andrea was in seventh grade we had to catch the bus at 6:00 a.m. to get her to school.  We did this by choice.  I had exercised the School Choice option and chose to send her to Watson Chapel Junior High, a school out of our home district.  With school choice you could attend an out of district school but the school bus didn't transport.  So we found ourselves waiting for the city bus early every morning.  We took the bus to Beazle's House where my daughter caught the bus with the neighborhood kids.  Shame on us. What I'm complaining about is public schools requiring little kids in their own districts to be up and out so early.  These parents have little or no choice. 

Last Wednesday morning I was out early.  I knew school buses ran early to pick up elementary school students.  I had no idea how early.  A mother with a little boy, maybe first grade, pass me on the street.  I heard her say, "Hurry up, son, we don't want to miss the school bus."  I was shocked.  It was black dark.  I say, "What time is it?" as I pull out my phone to look at the time.  The lady said it was 6:30, my phone said 6.28.  Either way, too early to be picking up such little kids.  This is made more ridiculous when middle schoolers are picked up after 8:00.  High School students are the only ones picked up at a reasonable 7:15.

By the time the little kid's mother finished telling him to
hurry I hear the bus.  Unbelievable.  I had to take a picture.  This may not be the greatest shot but I had to get it; high ISO, hand held, black dark.  

True, the little kids get home from school really early, around 2:30 p.m. but I'd rather see them get home a bit later than having to be at the school bus stop at 6:30 in the morning.  

IMO this is part of why kids are performing so poorly in school these days.  What time do these kids get up in order to be on time for the school bus?  Did they eat breakfast at home or do they go to school hungry and scarf down a school breakfast before class?  If they get up at 4:30 or 5, do they go to bed at 8:30 or 9?

I tell you, if I had small children and they had to be at the school bus stip by 6:30, we'd be homeschooling for sure.