I Need to Know Why

Let the authority issues begin anew.

Got a call yesterday from the preschool I wanted Sontoo to attend in September. Our name came up on the waiting list and . . . he's in. Beginning in November, he will attend two afternoons a week.

I have mixed emotions about this, but I'll save them for another post.

Today, it's about "the system" and about my family finally reaching an age where we must enter it. It's not just about Sonwun going to preschool. It's about all of us and the preschool experience.

Before we venture further into this topic, I should point something out. I have always had issues with authority. Haven't been to a shrink, so I can't necessarily and definitively explain why. I have a few suspicions, but we'll leave those alone for now. Suffice to say, authority and I have not been the best of friends since I started school many years ago.

Part of it, I realize, is from my need to know "why?"

"Yes sir, we need your phone number and address before we can process your purchase of this pair of socks."

"Why?"

"That's just our policy."

"Keep your freakin' socks."

I have a big issue with "policy" as a tool to hide behind when there is no logical answer or a better solution. That has, at many times in my life, been interpreted as an aversion to authority.

And I can't say it ended with school. When I had to spend a few days at the RCMP Depot in Regina, for the wife's graduation celebration, my skin never stopped crawling; all those uniforms, marching, order, unquestioned obedience - brrrrrrr! Trouble just seems to find me in these environments. To make a long story short, I joined my wife for lunch at the Depot cafeteria, didn't wear (because I didn't know) a collared shirt as was protocol, and then I sat at the Officers' table, again, because no one was sitting there and because it was not labelled. How was I to know?

This authority aversion, and the need to understand "why" is probably why I ended up as a news reporter (I CAN ask the questions and, if I don't like or fully understand the answer, I can ask more until I fully understand). Not sure how I ended up marrying an RCMP member, however. But I'm sure it's tied in there somehow.

But I digress.

During the phone call, I was told by the preschool director that I need to pickup and fill out a registration form and that Sonwun needs to bring a change of clothes, indoor shoes and a snack "that meets Health Canada guidelines," to each day of preschool.

So I guess I should probably look those up. Hold on a sec . . .

All righty then. Under "Smart Snacking" on the good ol' government website I see that the best choices are "foods from the four food groups in Canada's food guide."

Okey dokey, hold on a sec . . .

Super! He needs vegetables and fruit, grain products, milk and alternatives and meat and alternatives. I'm sure they list proper alternatives, but I'm bored already and don't feel much like working through this government website any longer.

Fine, healthy snack. We do our best to feed our children healthy food, so it's not really an issue for me. The issue is having someone inspect and approve the food I wish to feed my child. Don't feel I need your fucking approval. But I'll play your game on this one.

Although (and here's the authority aversion sneaking back) I have an overpowering desire to send him to preschool with a can of coke, a poptart and a big ol' Toblerone, just once, just for fun. (We, by the way, have none of the above in the house.)

Now then, let's talk a bit about the registration form. Got a few problems here. A few "whys" if you will. For example, why do you need to know my dog's name and my cat's name? Not a big issue really, not a national secret, but I'd really be interested to know why.

Further along on the registration form, my authority issues collide with my privacy concerns. I am asked to initial a number of requests, that are asked, apparently "in accordance with the privacy act."

(First off, Privacy Act, if it is indeed an actual Act of some level of government, should be capitalized and, second, it should be preceded by the level of government responsible. Federal Privacy Act? Provincial Privacy Act? A privacy act we made up on our own? Come on people, you're supposed to be educating my child here. I need to know you're up to the task!)

I realize this rant is longer than usual, but bear with me.

In any case, according to this act, I need to give them permission to put Sonwun's first name on the little cubby where he will store his coat and hat. Really? Okay, no problem.

Permission to have his pertinent medical info in the emergency handbook. No problem.

Permission to allow "appropriate photographs and/or videos of my child to be taken by therapists, work experience students and/or by educational or regulatory observers while they are there." Um . . . no. And why?

Permission for "appropriate photographs and/or videos to be taken by (name of preschool) employees of for (?) their personal records. Um . . . hell no! What is that about?

Permission to allow representatives of the media, or of any granting organization to photograph for use in any media coverage, article or promotional materials. Um, no again.

You know, I understand maybe a little pic for the local paper, but I have a problem with any media coverage or promotional materials. He's not there to sell the program or be a model for your brochures. I'm not giving blanket coverage. Tell me what's happening, each time, and I'll make a decision. I don't want to see his face on the front of some NDP brochure promoting Jack Layton's latest hair-brained plan for mandatory daycare beginning at age 2.

Now, the first step, they say, is admitting you have a problem. And I know I do. But bear with me here. Apparently I'm supposed to sign away Sonwun's rights under this Privacy Act so that he may attend preschool. It states right at the bottom of this list that failure to sign this thing may exclude Sonwun from, among other things, attending this preschool as some of them are "licencing requirements as set by Manitoba Child Day Care."

So, I just gotta ask, why does Manitoba Child Day Care require that I sign away some of my child's rights under the Privacy Act in order to attend preschool? Is that actually legal? Does it make sense?

I am honestly going to try to be a good parent and a reasonable parent. I will be meeting the preschool director early next week and I hope she has the patience and intelligence to listen to my questions and answer them with something other than, "that's just our policy."

God help me, that's just not good enough. As always, I need to know why.

Tomorrow, maybe we'll talk about the Parent Policy Manual - should be an interesting read.