Hotel CaliFarnsworth

Talk about embarrassing!!!! My cute son was asked by his principal to lead the school board meeting in the pledge of allegiance on Tuesday night. What an honor right? Preston was so excited and looking forward to dressing up and speaking in a microphone. We were asked to be at the meeting a half hour before it started and we made it there just fine. Preston was not nervous at all. When we arrived the secretary to the Superintendent came over and started talking to Preston. She mentioned to us that Preston was the youngest they've ever had say the pledge before. She asked if I thought he'd be fine doing it. I told her Preston was not shy and he'd be just fine. Then came the school board personnel......this is where it gets interesting. The Superintendent walks over to us and asks Preston a couple of questions. Dr. Rutherford then comments that Preston isn't even nervous talking to him. Preston innocently then asked "Why would I be?" Dr. Rutherford replied, "Well most people are because I am your principal, Mrs. Benson's, boss." Then very confidently Preston states, "You are? Then i really want to talk to you about some things." I am thinking "Oh great. What is he going to say and maybe he should have brought this up with me FIRST!" The Superintendent laughed and then asked what was on Preston's mind. Preston then gives his speech which went a little something like this:
"Well you see, I want to be the kid president at my school. Mrs. Benson told me that I can't even TRY to be president until I am in 5th grade. You know how old I will be by then?"

Dr. Rutherford: "Oh, I see. Well, do you think you could win an election while in 2nd grade against a 6th grader?"

Preston: "Yes! For sure! But that isn't even the worst part of it. This year I got to listen to the kids who wanted to be president at the assembly. I picked out who I was going to vote for and everything. Then Mrs. Benson wouldn't even let me VOTE. Even though it's for MY school and I GO there. I CAN'T vote. She said I have to be in 3rd grade. Can you believe it? So I even had people sign a paper to say I could vote and I had a meeting with her and everything. She listened to me and said I STILL couldn't vote. And I had a TON of people sign the paper to say I COULD vote. It didn't even matter. So do you think you could talk to her?"

Dr. Rutherford is laughing by now and replies, "Hmm, I will have to talk to her."

Preston: "YES!!"

Then walks in Mrs. Benson. Dr. Rutherford gets up from his chair and walks over to her (she came and sat behind us).

Dr. Rutherford: "I hear this young man was a little disappointed with the school election process this year Mrs. Benson."

Mrs. Benson: "Oh, did he tell you he had a petition?"

Dr. Rutherford: "yes, he told me all about it."

Mrs. Benson: "Did you let him know that I wished he could've voted but I had to follow the District rules?"

Dr. Rutherford: "No, I told him I would talk to you about it." Then to Preston: "Well, I guess she isn't going to change the rules for us Preston. I'm sorry I tried."

Mrs. Benson leans over to Preston and says, "Preston I have to follow HIS rules." Then everyone laughs (except Preston).

Okay so soon the meeting does start. All is well. Each Board member reports real quick what they've done since they last met. Then each one reports on current exciting news about the district. Basically it is sounding like the school board is tooting Upland's horn. They are talking about how UHS has one of the top drama departments. And how UHS' quarterback is FOX 11 ESPN's top High School pick and will be on TV in March, etc etc. Time for the pledge.

Mrs. Benson introduces Preston and Preston leads the pledge. It goes smoothly. No problems. Next comes the board member to ask him a few questions and present him with a certificate. Board member aks, "Preston, tell us, how do you like your school?"

Preston takes mic and says, "I love my school so much that I wanted to be the kid president but am not allowed. Apparently you have to be in 5th grade. So that's really too bad."

Board member, "Oh yes well soon enough then. (chuckle) Now tell us what is your favorite subject in school?"

Preston then begins to toot HIS own horn (apparently just following suit---in his mind): "Well I really LOVE reading. I love it so much that my teacher even told me at conference that i had read over 200,000 MORE words than anyone else so far in second grade!"

At this point I am trying to crawl UNDER my chair. I HOPE no one thought I told him to say that! How embarrassing!!

Board member: "Preston we wanted to thank you for coming tonight and helping us out. (Hands him certificate) How did you get here tonight? Did you walk or did someone bring you?"

Preston: "Well, we should have walked because we live really close to here but my mom drove me. Which is a little wasteful of gas and the environment but my Mom wanted to drive for some reason."

OKAY now I'm really bright red! Thanks a lot Preston!! It was RAINING and there's no way HE would've walked either!

Board member: (chuckles)"Can you show us your mom so she could stand up and we can thank her for bringing you?"

Thanks board member! After being completely humiliated by my son I would LOVE to stand up so you can all see WHO exactly is his mom.

I stand up and everyone claps and I am thinking "at elast now we can high tail it out of there!"

Board Member: "Thanks again Preston. (Shakes his hand) Now you may be excused to go home. You don't have to stay and listen to the rest of the meeting."

Preston: "oh, thanks but I would like to stay an listen please."

Board Member: "Oh ofcourse sir. You are more than welcome to stay."

THANKS again Preston! We get to stay! How fun---not! We stayed for about another hour and then slipped out.

At school the next day, Mrs. Benson told me that she'd gotten about 50 emails from people regarding Preston last night. I told her I didn't even WANT to know what they said. Then I told her that she should email them all back and just let them know that his MOTHER did NOT coach him on what to say at all and never told her son to TOOT his own horn! She just laughed.