Growing up too fast

I'm not an expert in child development, don't play one on TV, and didn't stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night. Even so, I was startled by Mayor Mazzarella's position on a proposal that the town of Leominster buy the former Julie Country Day School and use the space to expand kindergarten in the city. From today's Sentinel and Enterprise:

Mazzarella said the city is already looking into buying the school, but he thinks there may be enough space for more all-day kindergarten in some existing schools.

"We have Sky View that was built for 1,200 students, and there's 700-plus students up there," said Mazzarella, who serves as chairman of the school committee.

Is the mayor actually suggesting that we have the city's four and five year olds go to school with the seventh and eighth graders at Sky View Middle School? Again, I'm no expert, but it seems to me that our kids grow up fast enough as it is, without sending kindergarteners to middle school.

Tags: Massachusetts Leominster School Kindergarten Middle School Dean Mazzarella