How much of your child's illness is a parent required to divulge to school staff?

[Planogirl]

School districts have the right to set policy and everyone has the right to choose not to use the schools by homeschooling or finding a private school. I agree with those who say that you can't just pick and choose which rules to follow.

 

[Janepod]

I have to say, I am shocked that a parent would allow a student to miss 18 or more days out of a 180-day school year when no illness is serious enough to require a doctor. That's one day out of 10 - or one day every two weeks.

I was brought up being told that school was my job, and to treat it as preparation for the real world. What message is a parent sending to a child when they tell him or her it's okay to take a day off every other week for a sore throat or the sniffles? How does this prepare a child to take college seriously or get his or her butt to work?

I thought my parents were too strict when I was a kid. They would have laughed in my face if I asked for a personal day. But you know what? I owe them a big thank-you.

 

[HelenePA]

I thought my parents were too strict when I was a kid. They would have laughed in my face if I asked for a personal day. But you know what? I owe them a big thank-you.

why? my dd has nothing less than a 97% in any of her subjects, in spelling she has over 100%. She already made up her work from her day off... If I thought it would affect her grades in anyway I'd say no...

 

[Janepod]

why? my dd has nothing less than a 97% in any of her subjects, in spelling she has over 100%. She already made up her work from her day off... If I thought it would affect her grades in anyway I'd say no...

Do you suggest your kids use that line on their future employers? "I'm all caught up on my work, so I'm staying home today"?

 

[Kathi OD]

Sorry..I feel absolutely the opposite. You don't get to pick and choose the rules and policies you follow when you choose to enroll your child in a school..especially a public one. You either follow the policies set forth or you don't send your child there. By all means..advocate for change via the proper channels but things like truancy are generally outside the hands of the school and are laws set forth by the state or county you live in so your fight would be with them.

Federal law says every child is entitled to a free, appropriate public education. It says nothing about the parent agreeing to follow the policies and procedures set forth by the local education agency with regard to supplying doctor's notes for every absence. Such notes are arbitrary requirements and not necessary for the school district to continue its job of educating children. Let's be honest, not every illness requires a trip to the doctor, but that doesn't mean your child is well enough to be in school. It is better that they are home instead of spreading their germs throughout the rest of the school.

School districts have the right to set policy and everyone has the right to choose not to use the schools by homeschooling or finding a private school. I agree with those who say that you can't just pick and choose which rules to follow.

My opinion differs somewhat. A school district has the right to set reasonable policies. As parents, we have the right to choose whether or not to comply with those policies. However, if we choose to not follow the policies set by the school district, we need to be prepared to deal with the consequences of our choices, which may include advocating for a change to those policies.

As for the OP, she was aware of the basic policy regarding absenteeism. However, the school decided to add to the policy, at the end of the school year, retroactive to the beginning of the year, by asking for details regarding her child's absences. That's like changing the rules in the middle of the game and that's not acceptable.

It shocks me that people believe they have to follow such ridiculous and unrealistic policies just because they are set forth by a group of bureaucrats who think they know how to parent your child better than you do.

 

[Coconut36]

One buys a house in a particular school district. Around here, that is the entire extent of having a choice about what public school your child may attend. School policies change over time. It is ludicrous to suggest that people should be prepared to sell their house, potentially at a cost of many thousands of dollars every time the administrator du jour decides to modify a policy.

Sorry but that is the reality of life. Either that or homeschool your child or pay to enroll them in private school. You don't get to say "sorry I bought this house so I get to decide what school rules and policies I follow or don't follow because I don't want to or can't move". Doesn't work that way.

 

[HelenePA]

Sorry but that is the reality of life. Either that or homeschool your child or pay to enroll them in private school. You don't get to say "sorry I bought this house so I get to decide what school rules and policies I follow or don't follow because I don't want to or can't move". Doesn't work that way.

The OP DID follow the rules, now 8 months later they are changing the rules to they need symptoms? How were you feeling Aug 22, 2011?

 

[Coconut36]

Federal law says every child is entitled to a free, appropriate public education. It says nothing about the parent agreeing to follow the policies and procedures set forth by the local education agency with regard to supplying doctor's notes for every absence. Such notes are arbitrary requirements and not necessary for the school district to continue its job of educating children. Let's be honest, not every illness requires a trip to the doctor, but that doesn't mean your child is well enough to be in school. It is better that they are home instead of spreading their germs throughout the rest of the school.

Don't know about where you live but where I live you acknowledge the policy and procedures of the school and by enrolling your child agree to adhere to those policy and procedures. A free and appropriate public education comes with rules, regulations and policies..it's not a free for all where you get to decide for yourself. A free and appropriate education is provided for the child..that doesn't mean the child can miss 1/2 the school year and the parent isn't held accountable for it.

Again..in general these laws are at a state/county level and the school is the middleman. Here it is the county Juvenile Court system that oversees truancy. They will call a hearing, they will require documentation and they take action if you can't provide valid reasons for your child missing a set number of days of school. The school will often step in as the student approaches the max days to try to prevent it from going to court and get the documentation in order.

 

[HelenePA]

Do you suggest your kids use that line on their future employers? "I'm all caught up on my work, so I'm staying home today"?

Oh come on she is NINE in 3rd grade... Not a Heart dr skipping out on surgery to play golf.

 

[Kathi OD]

Sorry but that is the reality of life. Either that or homeschool your child or pay to enroll them in private school. You don't get to say "sorry I bought this house so I get to decide what school rules and policies I follow or don't follow because I don't want to or can't move". Doesn't work that way.

Sure it does. Especially when the policies are capricious & unnecessary, as is the OP's school's request...sprung on her at the close of the school year, requesting information for events that happened at the beginning of the school year. If they really needed to have details about each absence, they would have asked for them when the absences occurred, not 9 months later.

 

[marlynnp]

Do you suggest your kids use that line on their future employers? "I'm all caught up on my work, so I'm staying home today"?

Sure, why not? I do. I'm salaried and that means most times I'm working 50+ hour weeks but when I'm lucky enough to have a slow spell I tell my boss that everything's caught/on schedule and I'm taking a mental health day. {and this is NOT one of my PTO days}

 

[Coconut36]

The OP DID follow the rules, now 8 months later they are changing the rules to they need symptoms? How were you feeling Aug 22, 2011?

I disagree from what I read in her OP. Her child has 8 absences THIS semester (not year..semester)..10 is the max..they are not changing anything..they are asking for documentation and trying to address the chronic absences PRIOR to the kid reaching the max days for a semester. It is likely tied to a pattern of absences they can see dating back to the start of school (7 in the first semester and 8 now) and are trying to address things before they progress further. I don't know what the truancy laws are where the OP lives but I know here you end up in the juvenile court system with a truancy officer overseeing a case once you hit the max. Seems to me the school is trying to step in to see if they can prevent it from going that far and to understand the reason for the absences by requesting Dr notes and information on the nature of the absences so they can provide that to the state/county truancy program (what would happen here as I understand it).

 

[Coconut36]

Sure, why not? I do. I'm salaried and that means most times I'm working 50+ hour weeks but when I'm lucky enough to have a slow spell I tell my boss that everything's caught/on schedule and I'm taking a mental health day. {and this is NOT one of my PTO days}

I would say it is VERY uncommon for an employer to allow/agree to such behavior. I worked for a large Fortune 500 and that was NOT done. If you said "I'm caught up and not coming to work today, nor am I using PTO time" then you would be suffering some serious consequences. You either went through the steps to use PTO time with the proper lead time and coverage or you show up for work. It was unprofessional and unacceptable and against company policy to just say "not working today and not taking PTO time for it". I was a salaried IT professional and it was NOT done and would be a fast and quick way to be fired.

 

[HelenePA]

I disagree from what I read in her OP. Her child has 8 absences THIS semester (not year..semester)..10 is the max..they are not changing anything..they are asking for documentation and trying to address the chronic absences PRIOR to the kid reaching the max days for a semester. It is likely tied to a pattern of absences they can see dating back to the start of school (7 in the first semester and 8 now) and are trying to address things before they progress further. I don't know what the truancy laws are where the OP lives but I know here you end up in the juvenile court system with a truancy officer overseeing a case once you hit the max. Seems to me the school is trying to step in to see if they can prevent it from going that far and to understand the reason for the absences by requesting Dr notes and information on the nature of the absences so they can provide that to the state/county truancy program (what would happen here as I understand it).

Yes they are changing it! If they were excused then they are excused, not they were excused now they aren't because your almost at the max days allowed...

 

[HelenePA]

I would say it is VERY uncommon for an employer to allow/agree to such behavior. I worked for a large Fortune 500 and that was NOT done. If you said "I'm caught up and not coming to work today, nor am I using PTO time" then you would be suffering some serious consequences. You either went through the steps to use PTO time with the proper lead time and coverage or you show up for work. It was unprofessional and unacceptable and against company policy to just say "not working today and not taking PTO time for it". I was a salaried IT professional and it was NOT done and would be a fast and quick way to be fired.

Well then I guess she is lucky her employer is okay with it, heck my dh took time off last week so I could go see Lady Antebellum and was paid for it... it all depends on your employers rules, at least they didn't change the rules after he took the time off to something different. Kind of what like the school is doing to the OP.

 

[Coconut36]

Sure it does. Especially when the policies are capricious & unnecessary, as is the OP's school's request...sprung on her at the close of the school year, requesting information for events that happened at the beginning of the school year. If they really needed to have details about each absence, they would have asked for them when the absences occurred, not 9 months later.

They are not changing anything from the way I read it. She is well aware they can not miss more than 10 days per semester..her child is at 8 days THIS semester and they are asking for documentation since he also has an additional 7 days in the previous semester adding up to a lot of time missing from school. They are taking steps BEFORE the kid reaches the max (that as other posters have stated in their state/district can result in retention or required summer school). Would it be better that they wait until the kid hits 10 and then step up and say "can you provide us with documentation for these days" as they are taking action through the state truancy program or setting in motion retention/summer school for the kid? Me, I would rather they address it before it gets to that point.

 

[HelenePA]

They are not changing anything from the way I read it. She is well aware they can not miss more than 10 days per semester..her child is at 8 days THIS semester and they are asking for documentation since he also has an additional 7 days in the previous semester adding up to a lot of time missing from school. They are taking steps BEFORE the kid reaches the max (that as other posters have stated in their state/district can result in retention or required summer school). Would it be better that they wait until the kid hits 10 and then step up and say "can you provide us with documentation for these days" as they are taking action through the state truancy program or setting in motion retention/summer school for the kid? Me, I would rather they address it before it gets to that point.

well then if that is the case why not address it after the first 7 days off last half of school year why wait until there is a month MAX left in the school year.

 

[Geoff_M]

We follow the sensible, reasonable policies. We push back when the school overreaches. We've done it many times. We're citizens and tax payers, we're not sheep.

I just love that last line! This year my wife actually had a parent tell her that she was obligated to tutor her child outside of school hours on request "because I'm a taxpayer... and I pay your salary!" So many parents think that since they're a local taxpayer they can make demands of the school system for exceptions.

Sorry, but the issue is squarely the school's problem.

I should have thought of telling our school that when we were told by them that if our child didn't raise his grade in one of his classes he wouldn't be allowed to go one a school sponsored field trip per school policy! "Sorry, you're being unreasonable... he's going to Lansing!"

 

[Coconut36]

well then if that is the case why not address it after the first 7 days off last half of school year why wait until there is a month MAX left in the school year.

Because how can they predict the kid will incur a greater number of days in the following semester? It's the fact that he is now at 8 additional days missed after having missed 7 the previous semester. At 7 the first time they aren't going to say anything..add 8 more days to it and it becomes a pattern and raises concerns. It also puts him only 2 absences from the max for the semester..also a red flag.

 

[HelenePA]

Because how can they predict the kid will incur a greater number of days in the following semester? It's the fact that he is now at 8 additional days missed after having missed 7 the previous semester. At 7 the first time they aren't going to say anything..add 8 more days to it and it because a pattern and concerning to them.

but they have all been excused... The child gets sick a lot takes a day off here and there but hasn't reached the max for the allowable school year? but now we need to know why he was off 8-9 months ago? come on who can remember that far back and how they were feeling... if your going to change the rules you better do it in a reasonable time frame.. and not only for those close to the max but to EVERYONE in the school.. sorry you can't just make rules up for certain kids...