Posted on 04/29/2015 10:01:35 AM PDT by QT3.14
When Mike Rossi qualified to run in the Boston Marathon, he made it clear to everyone at his children's school that he planned to bring the entire family with him on his "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity. Last week, he did just that, cheered on by his 9-year-old twins as he crossed the finish line.
So that's why the Pennsylvania dad was stunned to get a letter from the school principal upon his return, calling his brief vacation into question. Days missed "due to a family trip are not considered excused absences," she wrote.
(Excerpt) Read more at today.com ...
Teachers and admin get both “personal” and “sick” days- the students are more often just treated as property which brings in income from the state.
Since it was planned ahead of time and the school was notified ahead of time, I’m of the opinion that the school could have made a reasonable accommodation, like writing a paper about their trip, the number of places they went and what part of the trip did they learn the most. Have the paper signed by the parents and turned in when they return to school.
If they do that, mark it as excused.
But...from the article:
"The school has known unofficially about it since the fall. The teachers have discussed it, so it hasn't been a secret."
The school hierarchy is only concerned with $$. They lose money every time a student has an unexcused absence. School Districts are funded on the “butt in the seat” basis. I remember we went through hell because we had the audacity to take one of our children out of school to accept an invitation to visit an out-of-state college which wanted to offer him a full-boat scholarship, but needed to interview him and for him to see the campus as a condition thereof. This was considered unexcused by our public school policy-makers, who are clueless about the timing of such things, and insisted that we could do it during summer vacation. No, we had to do it during the time between the offer and the deadline for acceptance, which was NOT during vacation time. Luckily, no jail time was imposed!
The schools don’t allow “excused absence” for the same reason they refuse to suspend or expel students for bad behavior.
They lose Federal matching dollars unless the student is in the classroom.
Isn't this the reason why schools take kids on 'field trips.'
College is ONE thing....public indoctrination centers are another
My daughter, a ballerina, would occasionally have to miss days at school due to overwhelming rehearsal schedules and the need to catch up on homework, particularly during nutcracker season. The first time I told her she was taking a day off to catch up and rest, she tearfully asked me what I was going to tell the school. I said the same thing as I always tell them when my kids missed a day. I called and told them my daughter would not be at school that day and when I thought she would be back. No reason given. I did not owe them one, just owed them the courtesy of a call so they knew she was safe and that I knew about her absence. PERIOD. Anything else was none of their business.
On the other hand, dad’s making a big deal about nothing. So what, his kid has an unexcused absence, it was what - 2 days?? I’ve taken my kids out of school for trips, my daughter was out 4 days one time. I can’t tell you whether or not it was excused but I doubt it and I didn’t care. It was more educational for her to be on our trip.
Big ado about nothing dad...chill.
I’ve dealt with school districts for more years than I want to remember and watched as they ALL became more and more possessive of the children they are supposed to teach. I’ve even pulled my kids out of one public school and enrolled them in a parochial school only to cross figurative swords with the principal and the Church.
I won.
My kids were not entrusted by God to either the government or the Church, however those entities might feel. My kids were given to me to raise as I saw fit - and that’s just what happened.
Far too many people think their jobs are more important than their kids and simply shunt the children off to some government-controlled educational system for six to eight hours a day as a cheap substitute for a paid sitter. Their kids, their choice. I see it all the time. I feel sorry for those kids and our country.
I can’t believe the crap I’m reading on this thread. Tell the school these are my children I can take them anytime I want and anywhere I want. Don’t like it - stick it!
My father was president of the Board of Education in our county for several years. He always said “A child learns more traveling for a week than he learns in a month sitting in a classroom.” Summer vacations were impossible due to my parents’ work in a summer resort, so we traveled in the fall or spring. I did the same with my children and was often asked by their teachers how they had learned so much American history and geography when they never took their books home. My answer, “It’s simple. They’ve been there.” There were times when the private school my children attended refused permission for events I wished to take my children to see on the excuse that the entire class couldn’t go. I took my children anyway. They saw the National Ballet performances, heard a famous classical pianist, attended the current opera production,etc. They grew up with an appreciation of a wide range of entertainment and often tell me they are glad they were exposed to more than just television and pop music. Now I do the same for my grandchildren.
I don’t believe the dad should “chill” when his parental rights were being challenged. Time to stop the idea that the government knows best.
Oh noes. Now it’s on his permanent record! The kid will never get into Harvard. Gimme a break. Who cares?
Why take this petty crap so seriously—everyone know it’s only about the $$. I used excuse notes as a creative writing exercise. The office hated it, but it made for some fun with the kids.
No knock raid at 3 am-SWAT team-Kids taken by CPS and put into Foster homes.
Just keep voting democrat America- the State needs to own your kids.
“I can’t believe the crap I’m reading on this thread.”
Jeez, no kidding. You have, by far, the best response. To use a line from one of my favorite movies, “We tell ‘em nothing. We tell ‘em to hit the road!”
So it’s an “unexcused” absence. So what?
Much ado about nothing.
.
I do not think there are any excused absences. When I taught (university level) I did not allow any. After two absences it affected your grade.
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So based on your grading, I would have probably flunked a history course in college where I missed two weeks of classes due to complications after appendicitis surgery.
But coming back to class I borrowed notes, made up one test, making an A on that one, and all subsequent ones, thus getting an A for the course. (I also keep A’s in all my other courses.)
Since apparently you would have lowered my grade, what would it been after 10 absences in your class?
Yes. You would have failed. You could appeal through the admin. You should have dropped the class immediately or filed for an incomplete.
Do you employ a contractor who fails to come through for 10 weeks? A doctor who shows up ten weeks late? Should an employer pay for work you are not doing? I’m an independent. If I don’t show I don’t get paid.
We replaced a contractor where I am working. He had his face crushed when a tree rolled off the bucket of the tractor and crushed him. I disagreed with it. The work was largely cosmetic and could wait, but the employer felt otherwise.
Harsh? Yes, but so is reality, my friend.
Does this mean I would not have helped you? Absolutely not. Were there anything I could have done, were you my student, I would have done it.
Glad you are doing well.
Exactly! We were CONSUMERS of education for our children. We paid the tuition bill (along with our taxes!) so we called the shots. Same thing would’ve gone for for public schools had they ever attended one.
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