Smooth operator

Only the KC School District would qualify the absence of arson and rioting as a smooth start.

The first day of school for about 28,000 children in the district came off relatively smoothly. Some buildings showed remnant water damage from last week's rains. Fans hummed at full tilt at some of the buildings without air conditioning.

And a distressed fourth-grader who walked out of Attucks Elementary School was quickly recovered and reunited with his mother, Harshaw said.

But a relatively smooth day didn't mean it wasn't hectic. Across the district, principals and others presented themselves to curious children and parents.

Sure, the district has little money to educate the kids, there is a dearth of qualified teachers, Latinos drop out at a rate of more than 50%, so many of the young Black men will wind up in jail and not college, the busing system is outdated and some say unsafe and paying the salary of the top heavy administration is costing the taxpayers and arm and a leg. BUT, nobody was killed today so all's well.

Realistically, all of the news cameramen in town know that the start of school for KCMO means nothing more than an opportunity to capture some great video of the kids beating the crap out of each other sometime in the near future.