Frustrated... Grrrrrrr

I have three daughters in the public school system, all in elementary school. I've had gripes in the past, but none can compare to what I'm feeling this year.

Biggest problem at hand is with the first grade teacher. My youngest daughter has always been very happy-go-lucky and can make friends in even the worst circumstances. She thrived in Kindergarten and enjoyed going to school each and every day. She was even more excited to begin first grade because she'd get to spend more time with her friends and get to have lunch in the cafeteria. It was her dream!

Fast forward just a few weeks and suddenly she doesn't want to go to school anymore. She wakes up each day and tells me that she has a headache, or that she feels like she's going to throw up... It's a struggle every morning, tears shed (by both of us) and I feel horrible for sending her out the door sobbing. She hates her teacher. I'm not happy with the teacher either, and even less so now that I've networked with other parents with students in the class.

I put a call in to the principal, who is out of the office today, to voice my concerns. I discovered in talking with other parents that at least 8 children have been pulled out and placed in other classes. That alone speaks volumes about the state of the classroom, doesn't it?

I am unable to merely transfer my daughter to another class because we are on year-round school and it would require changing all of my children... but I haven't disregarded the thought of homeschooling through the end of the year for my youngest. First grade is too critical of a time to dislike school. If she can't enjoy school and have fun while learning now, I fear that it will snowball down through the remaining years of her learning career.

I'm so frustrated. I just want the best for my kids and I hate being at the mercy of beauracracy. I hope and pray the principal (or the superintendant if I have to go that far) will see it the same way I do....