Am I Going To Have To Separate You Two?

Since school started Mia has been misbehaving a lot, just to see how we react. She makes sure we're watching before she throws food on the floor or sticks her tongue out. After a couple of weeks of that, we decided to lay down the law and enforce it with time outs. I had been attributing the misbehavior to the back-to-school transition. To be honest, I was guessing it was a product of being around lots of little boys. The ratio in her classroom is 5 boys to 2 girls on most days. The other girl is a cute little blondie named Sophie, and they stick together like glue. I even saw them holding hands on the way out to the playground. Soooo cute!
Imagine my surprise when Miss Diane took me aside last week to tell me they were making a change. Apparently my Mia who was an angel for Miss Diane last year has been acting up, and Sophie is the instigator. According to Miss Diane, Sophie defies the teachers' direction and then Mia follows suit! Miss Diane explained that they are purposely keeping the two girls apart, not letting them sit together or play together. They want Mia to start thinking for herself. The girl I know has no trouble thinking for herself, so I find it puzzling that she becomes a lemming after I drop her off at the schoolhouse door. Peer pressure already?
When I reported this to Jeff, he asked "Should we talk to her?" I was of the view that Mia wouldn't benefit from a lecture hours after the behavior - instead the teachers should give her feedback at the point of transgression.
A couple of days later, Jeff reported that as he drove Mia to school she announced that "Miss Diane yelled yesterday. She was mad." She explained that Sophie told all the kids to take their shoes off while playing on the playground, and they all did. That allowed Jeff to give her the standard, "Mia, just because the other kids do something doesn't mean you should do it!"
Somehow I didn't think we'd need to deliver that message at such a tender age.