Seriously. American public schools were originally designed for training children for factory work later in life, which included getting up for shift work and being responsive to the bell or whistle attached to the factory's shift clock. This particular tradition carries over to today, where students still get up early and move classes based on when the bell rings.
Also, if your parent takes you to school they are probably on their way to work. 10 to 20 years from now you're going to be doing the same with your kid.