A "planet" no more

This, from CNN: "After a tumultuous week of clashing over the essence of the cosmos, the International Astronomical Union stripped Pluto of the planetary status it has held since its discovery in 1930."
I feel bad for Pluto (in the photo's left, with one of its moons). All these years it's been considered a full-fledged planet -- a major link in our solar system. And then, based on some new-fangled definition of what a "planet" is, its status as a member of the nine rocks around the sun has been stripped and demoted to "dwarf planet." That's deflating. As if the little place wasn't cold and alone enough, now it's going to be mocked by its larger neighbors, and perhaps even kidnapped by another solar system that sees it as our weak link.
I'm also concerned for all the kids out there who will now have to argue with their parents during the solar system portion of science class when their homework answer is eight, and the parents insist that, no, there are nine planets in the solar system.