Two days after Simon's fifth birthday, he went to school for the first time.#
His mother bought him new clothes, and a special bag to carry his pens and
books in.#
The school was a long way from his home, so Simon's mother took him to school
in the morning, and left him at the school gate.#
"Enjoy yourself, Simon," she said, "and be good. The teacher will tell me if
you're not."#
Then she left him and went back home. At half past three she went back to pick
him up. She waited outside with many mothers. Soon he came out and ran up to
her.#
"Did you enjoy your first day at school?" she asked him.#
He shook his head.#
"No," he said, "and I'm never going back there again."#
His mother was very surprised.#
"What's the matter?" she asked him. "Has someone been unkind to you?"#
"No," he replied.#
"Did you miss me?" his mother asked him. "Is that why you don't want to go to
school again?"#
"No," he replied.#
"Then tell me the reason," his mother said.#
"All right. I can't read. I can't write. I can't spell. I can't do math and
the teacher won't let me talk. What's the point of going to school when I
can't do anything there?"&