Childrens' Day Celebration

When working with my kids on reading, I am (more or less) always happy to be at school. What I don't understand, however, is why the principal is more than willing to spend THOUSANDS of pesos on crazy parties rather than purchasing things like oh, I don't know, BOOKS. Also at issue, is that said events are always out of CONTROL. At the Independence Day march, kids were outside playing with homemade firecrackers. On Mother's Day, parents were literally fighting each other to get to the Brugal Rum. "The Day of the Kids" was no exception. The principal invited all 1,500 students to come to the school at 9am in their regular clothes, so that we could have a huge party. After a near riot broke out as the kids flooded in through the school gates, a huge truck drove up that BLASTED merengue, bachata, and (of course) reggaeton, so that all of the little 10-year-olds could grind on one another. The principal had also purchased HUNDREDS of pounds of rice, two whole cows, a couple of pigs, like a bazillion pounds of beans....then had half the neighborhood cooking the food in ELEVEN of those giant outdoor pots. The food arrived prepared in little boxes...and truckload after truckload fled in, but most of the kids STILL had to wait hours on end until their little hungry tummies were filled. Just as I thought the insanity was coming to an end, a CLOWN showed up and I was forced to dance on stage with him.....in front of the ENTIRE school. Good thing I am so sin verguenza :) As much as I believe in the importance of celebrating with children, I am definitely okay with the fact that I will NOT be here for the festivities next year.