I just received an email from democrats.com asking me to introduce "Sam" to Barak, Hillary, John & Mike.  Sam is a pre-k who doesn't have government subsidized pre-k.

I'm an elementary educator.  Add to that prestigious title, babysitter, part-time mother, social worker, tutor, disciplinarian and food provider.  These are just some of the hats I'm asked to wear both by my administration and parents who leave their kids at school from 7am - 6pm.

It's bad enough to see a 1st grader at school that many hours a day, but now, you're asking me to support a government subsidized pre-k program to allow parents to leave the little ones at school from 7am - 6pm?  Good grief, why are people having children?  Is it OK to abdicate almost all of your parental duties and require that the schools take over for you?  What other "responsibilities" are lurking in the shadows, soon to show up on the plates of educators nationwide?  And, no, I don't care if you have to go to work.  If your situation is such that you can't manage children, then make informed decisions about when and whether to have them, period.

I'd really like to introduce "Sam" to his mother and father.  I'd like for "Sam's" mother and father to sit down and spend time with him, teaching him his ABC's, singing songs with him, teaching him how to tie his shoes, talking to him about what's right and what's wrong and why (I guess that's assuming mom & dad know the difference), and heaven forbid...reading with him everyday!!

This job can't be delegated to "someone else", namely the schools, especially when you're talking about pre-k kids.  These kids need the care and guidance of their parents, grandparents, family.

And before you slam me for not supporting this pre-k program, let me just ask you how many hours you've spent in a school in the last month?  If your answer is under 10, then you have no standing to respond.  You have no idea what's going on in our schools, no idea what teachers are up against and no idea of the magnitude of the problems our young (and potentially younger) children face on a daily basis.

It's just a shame we can't legislate "informed parenthood".