"You never know how much time you have left and that was one of her big [goals] — to see me walk and get my diploma and go off to college. I wouldn't change it, everything I did. Family first."
Posted on 04/16/2012 2:11:27 PM PDT by Velveeta
A 17-year-old varsity baseball player in suburban Cleveland is being banned from walking at his own graduation for racking up two too many unexcused absences. While those circumstances might be considered the fault of the athlete in most cases, Carrollton (Ohio) High senior Austin Fisher's case is a rather extraordinary one: His absences were all brought on by time he spent caring for his mother, who has spent the past six years battling breast cancer.
As reported by Cleveland Fox affiliate WJW, Fisher has missed 16 days during his senior year, none of which have technically been excused. The Carrollton school district caps the number of absences allowable for a student to walk with his or her graduation class at 14, a number which means that Fisher will not be able to walk across the stage with the rest of his classmates.
For Fisher and other seniors at the school, that seems extremely unfair, particularly because all of his absences were brought on by his own heroic efforts to care for his mother, as he is the only other person who lives in their household. When Teresa Fisher became too sick to work, Austin Fisher took on two different jobs to help pay the bills. On a number of other days, Austin Fisher missed school so he could run his mother to cancer treatments and then care for her when she was bedridden after returning home.
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.yahoo.com ...
It’s not an excuse if the parent sends it in. It has to be signed by a doctor.
I managed to get a blanket excuse for my son’s migraines - a letter from his doctor that says he has them and their rough frequency.
Some districts would want my son to see the doctor every time he had a migraine. Why? It’s completely subjective unless you put him in a CT scanner, and the doctor can’t fix it any better than the medication already prescribed.
Same thing with viruses and fevers - some districts you’re supposed to drag your child to the doctor, infect the other patients in the waiting room, make your child miserable, and get told,”It’s a virus, he’ll be better in a few days. Here’s an absence note.”
Same with some jobs.
If the school administration had any common sense, any compassion, any decency, any honor, they’d waive the requirement in an instant - what does the word “guideline” mean, anyway?
It’s not an excuse if the parent sends it in. It has to be signed by a doctor.
I managed to get a blanket excuse for my son’s migraines - a letter from his doctor that says he has them and their rough frequency.
Some districts would want my son to see the doctor every time he had a migraine. Why? It’s completely subjective unless you put him in a CT scanner, and the doctor can’t fix it any better than the medication already prescribed.
Same thing with viruses and fevers - some districts you’re supposed to drag your child to the doctor, infect the other patients in the waiting room, make your child miserable, and get told,”It’s a virus, he’ll be better in a few days. Here’s an absence note.”
Same with some jobs.
If the school administration had any common sense, any compassion, any decency, any honor, they’d waive the requirement in an instant - what does the word “guideline” mean, anyway?
And virtually all of them hold advanced degrees.
Might be a Christian to boot.
Strike Four.
I even believe if he were black, the school would trumpet him around like a hero. They can suspend zero tolerance if it’s a certain group that makes them look even better. If there’s no upside for them personally, then zero tolerance stays.
"You never know how much time you have left and that was one of her big [goals] — to see me walk and get my diploma and go off to college. I wouldn't change it, everything I did. Family first."
Did he never try to get those absences excused?
Bingo.
...and when Obamacare kicks in bribes & extortion will be the name of the game to get excuses for jobs or school. Then they’ll start asking really personal questions.
Once again, the public schools show their true colors.
any one know the name of the Cleveland school??
I graduated in June 1961 from Lincoln High School on Scranton Road...Cleveland, OH.
Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio.
It often depends more on the school nurse than on any administrator in the school. When my daughter was in lower elementary school, the nurse refuse to accept any excuses from me, even when she was the one that refused to allow my daughter back into school - even with a doctor’s note. I finally found the “right” administrator and she was removed from that school - but not until after we were threatened with our daughter being expelled from excessive absences.
Carrollton, OH. I believe is in the southern part of the state? any one know for sure???
If we ever get around to fixing the education system, parents are in charge, they can take their kids out any time for any reason. We don’t need their permission.
That’s seems the best non violent solution and no violent solutions should be considered.
I’d like to see that graduation when no one stands.
Wait until the meat head enforcing the rule comes down with cancer (not that I wish it upon him/her). Then they might understand.
I’d wear it as a badge of honor as someone who has his priorities in order. What’s more important - the vanity of walking to get your diploma or the knowledge you cared for your ill mother? Let the shcool do their thing and then, after the ceremony is over, the students can remain and let the kid walk across the stage as his classmates applaud.
School policy is upheld and the kid gets an even greater reward than if the school relented.
And it can happen. I have had it twice and there is no history of cancer i my family at all.
I don’t know when that went into effect but when I was in school in the late sixties and seventies, all they needed was a note from my mom. A valid note that I always re-wrote in my handwriting.
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