[rlmorel]

It is the same reason people go to work when they know they are sick. And go to social events. And go to school. And jump on a plane.

There is always an incentive to make sure you go to work...or school...or a social event...or jump on a plane, and by corollary, a disincentive to stay home.

The basic reasons cover the spectrum, but the outcome for following the incentive (and avoiding the disincentive) in these cases is always bad, because everyone else gets sick.

[central_va]

If you have the real flu you are not going anywhere but to bed. You don’t walk around with the real flu.

[txrefugee]

Children who are absent cost the schools their state per diem money. So the schools will not encourage that flu sufferers stay home, another sign that the welfare of students does not come first in the minds of educators.

[House Atreides]

Nothing like starting off your day with something beautiful! Thanks for posting.

[mad_as_he$$]

Why?

People suck.

[Tennessee Conservative]

It’s getting bad here. Most of the schools (public) have canceled classes. I go to town once a week to get groceries and have been going really early on Sunday morning to avoid crowds of sick people.

I wear disposable rubber gloves, the surgical type, clean the buggy handle with sanitizer, and keep sanitizer hanging on my purse and in my truck.

It’s discouraging when it’s so bad the schools are closed and you see parents pushing their little kids in the buggy while letting the child teeth on the buggy handle. It’s no wonder so many are sick and in danger of dying.

A few years ago, before I retired, a really bad strain of flu came through and we were met at the turnstile at work daily to be checked for symptoms. If you had symptoms you were sent home. My company wasn’t messing around with people coming to work sick.

Yes, when most people have the ‘real’ flu, they aren’t able to work but you have a lot that try. That’s all it takes.

[The Sons of Liberty]

Why parents keep sending their flu-ridden kids to school

FREE CHILD CARE

[taildragger]

They may not have day care and or time off options as parents. So they give them tylenol get the temp below 99.9 and send them to school, if they stay a 1/2 + it may not be considered missing a full day. Those are a couple of other reasons....

[trebb]

Because the liberal school system wants the funds even if it means endangering the kids they never get around to educating - and maybe a number of parents too busy to take care of their own sick kids so they send them off to the baby sitters to allow them time for booze and drugs....

[gunnyg]

Whose children?????????????????????????
*****************************************
?????????????????????????????????????????

[miss marmelstein]

Is that just some weird NYC thing? I always had bosses that wanted half-dead people to show up to work. I never understood that.

[odawg]

I have noticed here that the school geniuses cut in half the permissible number of unexcused absences. Therefore, the kids go to school sick and get all the other students sick.

[MD Expat in PA]

I don’t know about NY but around here in central PA schools, the parents are told to keep their kids home from school if they are running a fever and not to send them back until 24 hours after the fever has passed. IIRC, after several days of absence, a doctor’s note may be required. But with a severe flu outbreak unless this kid is having trouble breathing, it might make more sense to just keep them home.

But as others have said, sometimes parents can’t take off from work or are hourly and don’t get paid and sometimes have no one who can stay at home with the sick kid.

[tbw2]

The really obvious answers:
* You don’t think it is bad, send the kid to school.
* Neither you nor the child wants to make up the schoolwork.
* You cannot afford to take a day (or more) off and hope the kid can power through.
* Kid gets food, entertainment and benefits at school they don’t get at home, send them.
* Hope that the child at school is less likely to infect anyone at home.

[fruser1]

I think to most parents, school is more about “free” daycare than education. As such, the push to school is seen as a cost savings from either not using daycare, or not taking off work.

[Buckeye McFrog]

You know this is building the groundwork for paid family leave, right?

[hoagy62]

Sometimes it’s because the parental figure can’t stand to have the little brat around and the parental figure needs a break.

Its a BAD reason, but there it is.

(Note: Neither I nor Mrs. Hoagy62 would EVER do that.)

[Nifster]

Because those parents are idiots...or just so self centered that they think it’s great to infect other people

I wish those who are sick would stay home. This flu season is especially nasty

[combat_boots]

Free food
Shelter
Not having to be home
Baby-sitting