May 7, 2026

Dear Families,                             

At 9:00 this morning, classes were buzzing.  

Andrea and Grace’s class was reading about the history of City Hall, where we planned to be protesting within the hour.  Yasmin’s students were putting finishing touches on their signs.  Cecilia’s class was practicing their chants.  

I went outside to count buses.  By 9:40, I was back upstairs, talking one by one with each K-1, 2-3, and 4-5 class.  I repeated the same basic speech:

‘Your bus has been downstairs for a long time.  Guess which grade’s bus isn’t here yet.’

“Pre-K!” groaned the kids.

‘Yes, pre-K.  That’s why we planned this protest in the first place.  The buses for older kids are here, but pre-K has a separate bus system that does not work as well. 

‘If the pre-K bus arrives soon, I will call upstairs, and we will load buses quickly.  But if the bus doesn’t show, we won’t go.  We cannot protest for pre-K without pre-K.’ 

The pre-K bus company apologized for a dispatching error.  The bus was too late.  By the time we would have arrived at City Hall, there would be about ten minutes left for our permit.  

“SIDE BY SIDE WE ALL RIDE" - signs from Aishah's class

By 10:30, Anika’s class wiped away tears and chewed thoughtfully on some consolation cookies.  Marilyn’s class had pulled out paper to write their next round of letters.  A few fifth graders who planned to record today’s protest were moving their camera and tripod down the hall to interview pre-K reactions.  I heard 2-3s discussing how most advocacy takes more than one protest to yield change. 

An outraged fourth grader, still clutching the sign he had painted, asked me about refunds.  A lot of the oldest kids said they felt disappointed.  I asked who they thought was most disappointed.  “Anika,” said the boy with the sign. 

Personally, I’m bitterly dispirited, but trying to maintain perspective.   Pre-K bus companies’ primary role is for special education transportation.  Each day in our city, about 70 students miss school completely because a special education bus simply doesn’t arrive to pick them up.   Field trips are important for learning; basic access to school matters more. 

Pre-K field trips may not be the most pressing issue, but they create an excellent topic for our school’s four year-olds to explore.  Young children develop their sense of fairness by reacting to unfairness – mostly, what unfair to them personally.   (Younger siblings don’t cry because they got the bigger piece.)   Still, today’s learning was too personal and crushing.

The bus company did offer a refund or the chance to take another trip.  I said we would get back to them.  We adults need to shake off our own emotions before we think clearly about what’s next and best for children.

This winter, we told students to decide how to spend $10,000.  One fourth grader was overheard saying that pre-K didn’t deserve to vote because “they can’t even talk.”  Late this morning, that same fourth grader asked permission to check on our two pre-K classes.

“I’m sorry you didn’t get to go today,” said the fourth grader to Marilyn’s class. That child went on to hope that the trip will be rescheduled, and that “we can go together because I want to support you.”

Eventually, I’ll feel less sad about what children lost today.  I do appreciate what they gained.

These letters were written by Marilyn’s pre-K students.

The first says:

We came to school. We were so excited to protest at City Hall. We waited and waited and waited. The bus didn’t come. The big kids’ buses were here. I felt angry because we couldn’t protest at City Hall. This isn’t fair. Please help us kids. Please change the rules.

Another says:

We were so excited but then the bus wasn’t on time. Bus company, it is not okay to do. I am feeling bad. The big kids’ bus was here but my bus wasn’t here. It is not okay. We cannot go to City Hall. We need to fight for equal rights.

The letter on the bottom left translates as:

I was happy because we will be going to see the mayor, but the bus had not come. Afterwards, much later. We would not be able to go for a walk to protest for equal rights. The bus for big kids were below and our bus wasn’t there. I was sad because the bus had not come. This is not fair. We need to change the rules of the bus.