School politics

I don’t want to be “that mom”. I don’t want to be a helicopter parent, making sure my child has everything "just right" and stepping in when it isn't. At my son’s age I know it’s necessary and vital to be a presence to ensure my children are on the right path but when is the line crossed? It was already brought up to me by another mother that we have to start thinking about which teacher we want our children to have next year in kindergarten. The conversation veered into which kids we hoped ended up in the class with our two. Unfortunately it’s hard for me to keep up to date on Bud’s school life since I never drop off or pick up and don’t have much interaction with other mothers. I have to base all of my knowledge on what Bud says to me at home. I hear the names he says but could never pick these kids out of a line-up. (I hope none of them are ever actually IN a line-up!) So as we discussed who else we hope is in their class I went with what Bud has said. With each name I said I was met with the same thing “Oh, not him!”, “Oh, not her!” When I asked why the boy Bud talks about the most wouldn’t be a good one to have in the class she said that he didn’t come from a good family. I find that so sad! Just because he doesn’t have a good family means we, as adults, should write him off already? I don’t know what this kid is like, I’ve never met him, but I don’t want Bud thinking he can’t be friends with children that come from “messed up” families. Who’s family is perfect? And does that even matter anyway?