Missing school could cost you money...

[freckles and boo]

Mine either, though I would like to see what they define as "valid excuse".

I didn't read any of it but perhaps "valid excuse" is the term they use to give principals or administrators some area of discretion.

 

[leighe]

I think that we ALL know that there are 'deadbeat parents' out there.
However, I do not think that this should ever be used to justify policies that could be described as unnecessary, ludacris, or unreasonable.

Yes, but the kids with deadbeat parents are just as "entitled" to a free education as your kids are. Federal and state laws, school board policies, etc., make schools and teachers responsible for things we really can't control - absences being an example.

 

[yeartolate]

I understand that, but as a parent, outside of working to change the law, that isn't my problem. If I'm paying taxes, then public schools are there for me to use, and I shouldn't feel pressured to pay extra if I choose to take the kids out for vacation.

THe note is a request, not a demand. I know you well enough that you would not construe this as pressure. You are a little more resiliant than that....you would take your twins out of your purse, snap them say "like hell I will".

 

[declansdad]

Since this is the second thread to have started about this article, I think some of you are conveniently missing the point of the letter. The letter was designed to make people in this particular district realize how school funding was calculated. It wasn't a demand for money and they didn't expect people to pay it.

 

[iloveboardwalk]

I will decide when my family takes a vacation, not the school. When I was growing up, my parents took us to Florida every single year right after labor day because in our opinion, it's the best darn time of year to go. We did this from first grade to 12th grade, I was a straight A student and I always made up my work. I'll be damned if the school district gets to decide how I run my family schedule. That there are other parents out there who would not demand that their kids do well in school and let their kids stay home whenever without recourse is not my problem and the school can figure out some other way to address that issue without punishing my family.

Obviously, I am referring the the discussion at large and not just the topic of the orginal post. I'm really surprised at the number of people who think it's perfectly ok for the state or school district to determne where their children should be on a day to day basis.

 

[declansdad]

I will decide when my family takes a vacation, not the school. When I was growing up, my parents took us to Florida every single year right after labor day because in our opinion, it's the best darn time of year to go. We did this from first grade to 12th grade, I was a straight A student and I always made up my work. I'll be damned if the school district gets to decide how I run my family schedule. That there are other parents out there who would not demand that their kids do well in school and let their kids stay home whenever without recourse is not my problem and the school can figure out some other way to address that issue without punishing my family.

Obviously, I am referring the the discussion at large and not just the topic of the orginal post. I'm really surprised at the number of people who think it's perfectly ok for the state or school district to determne where their children should be on a day to day basis.

Everyone knows when the school year starts and when it ends. Why is it not ok for schools to say they expect children to be in classes those days??

No one is trying to tell anyone how to raise their children but rather here are the rules and regulations that you need to know and they apply to everyone.

 

[iloveboardwalk]

Everyone knows when the school year starts and when it ends. Why is it not ok for schools to say they expect children to be in classes those days??

Because I don't want to have a hot, miserable over crowded vacation. That may appeal to some people, but I prefer my family time to be more pleasant.

No one is trying to tell anyone how to raise their children but rather here are the rules and regulations that you need to know and they apply to everyone.

I don't think sitting in a classroom at a desk all day long is the end all be all of education. There is more to educating a child than that and I will decide what is best for my family, period. The school district can make all the "rules" they want to, but as long as my kids are doing well on their tests, do their homework and learn from year to year, I fail to see how 5 days here or there for a family vacation is the end of the world.

I did it my whole childhood and I am a <gasp> productive, tax paying, law abiding, responsible citizen.

 

[declansdad]

Because I don't want to have a hot, miserable over crowded vacation. That may appeal to some people, but I prefer my family time to be more pleasant.



I don't think sitting in a classroom at a desk all day long is the end all be all of education. There is more to educating a child than that and I will decide what is best for my family, period. The school district can make all the "rules" they want to, but as long as my kids are doing well on their tests, do their homework and learn from year to year, I fail to see how 5 days here or there for a family vacation is the end of the world.

I did it my whole childhood and I am a <gasp> productive, tax paying, law abiding, responsible citizen.

Again they are not telling you you can't do this. They are saying "here are the rules that we live by and if you disregard them there could be consequences." It is no different than anything else in life.

 

[freckles and boo]

I don't think sitting in a classroom at a desk all day long is the end all be all of education. There is more to educating a child than that and I will decide what is best for my family, period. QUOTE]

While I agree with you in principle, your tone is really condescending. I am NOT a teacher but I can understand how it would be difficult to manage a classroom and follow a curriculum with parents just pulling their kids out indiscriminately. Do these laws actually affect you or are you just having a bad reaction to the idea of being told when your kids should be in school?

 

[iloveboardwalk]

I don't think sitting in a classroom at a desk all day long is the end all be all of education. There is more to educating a child than that and I will decide what is best for my family, period. QUOTE]

While I agree with you in principle, your tone is really condescending. I am NOT a teacher but I can understand how it would be difficult to manage a classroom and follow a curriculum with parents just pulling their kids out indiscriminately. Do these laws actually affect you or are you just having a bad reaction to the idea of being told when your kids should be in school?

My "tone?" Perhaps you are being a bit too sensitive. I think school is very important, but there are other things equally as important.

If a child can keep up with the work and pass the tests and learn the material I just don't see the problem.

These laws (and these TYPES of laws) affect everyone. We let the government treat us like they own our lives, and I think that it is sad and pathetic.

 

[iloveboardwalk]

Again they are not telling you you can't do this. They are saying "here are the rules that we live by and if you disregard them there could be consequences." It is no different than anything else in life.

As I mentioned, I'm not just talking about the original post, but the issue in general. There are many school distrcits where a parent could, in theory, go to jail for taking an "unexcused" family vacation. That's bent. The "consequence" is entirely unreasonable.

 

[disneymom3]

Okay, I will give myself a pineapple right off, but I just have to say since it is being used a LOT in this thread--Ludacris is the rap artist. The word you are looking for here is ludicrous. And since the thread is about education, I figured we should spell it right.

And I strongly agree with the poster who said we allow government way too much control and it starts out small. However, the request was just that, a request. That family who paid in $500 obviously has more disposable income than I do! Seems to me I have read here on the DIS of more restrictive penalties for unexcused absences.

 

[yeartolate]

However, the request was just that, a request. That family who paid in $500 obviously has more disposable income than I do! Seems to me I have read here on the DIS of more restrictive penalties for unexcused absences.

Exactly.

 

[declansdad]

As I mentioned, I'm not just talking about the original post, but the issue in general. There are many school distrcits where a parent could, in theory, go to jail for taking an "unexcused" family vacation. That's bent. The "consequence" is entirely unreasonable.

In theory you could go to jail for breaking many laws, but we all know that it doesn't happen, don't we.

What would you do if your boss said that if you go you would be punished? You can't be selective with the rules, either we follow them or we don't. Otherwise there would be anarchy.

 

[iloveboardwalk]

In theory you could go to jail for breaking many laws, but we all know that it doesn't happen, don't we.

I don't "know" that anymore than you do.

What would you do if your boss said that if you go you would be punished? You can't be selective with the rules, either we follow them or we don't. Otherwise there would be anarchy.

I don't have a boss, I am self-employed. I have a broker and he doesn;t give a flying fruit loop when I go on vacation or how often, as long as I bring in the sales.

I fail to see the logic in blindly following stupid rules, just because they are rules, like a sheep. As the saying goes, some rules are meant to be broken.

 

[leighe]

I don't "know" that anymore than you do.
I fail to see the logic in blindly following stupid rules, just because they are rules, like a sheep. As the saying goes, some rules are meant to be broken.

The "stupid rules" are in place, as I have said over and over again, because the schools are responsible for the education of your children. Period. No matter if they have wonderful parents who can be trusted to take them out for vacation but still do the right thing and see the kids do not fall behind, make up the work, etc., or if they have parents who do not care if they are ever in school or not. There are almost 2000 kids in our building. If we didn't follow "stupid" attendance rules chaos would reign.

I personally, would never take my kids out of school for a vacation just to avoid heat or crowds or peak rates. It just sends the wrong message, IMHO. I would take them out if that was the only time we could take a family vacation.

 

[Honu]

I fail to see the logic in blindly following stupid rules, just because they are rules, like a sheep. As the saying goes, some rules are meant to be broken.

Do your kids also just follow the rules they want to?

I ask because I cannot tell you how many teenagers and young adults I've had to terminate because everything in their life is more important than coming to work. I have to think it's because they were never taught these kind of responsibilities as children.

 

[declansdad]

I don't "know" that anymore than you do.



I don't have a boss, I am self-employed. I have a broker and he doesn;t give a flying fruit loop when I go on vacation or how often, as long as I bring in the sales.

I fail to see the logic in blindly following stupid rules, just because they are rules, like a sheep. As the saying goes, some rules are meant to be broken.

OK, try to see this as a hypothetical situation. If you had a boss, would you just come and go as you please?

 

[BuckNaked]

THe note is a request, not a demand. I know you well enough that you would not construe this as pressure. You are a little more resiliant than that....you would take your twins out of your purse, snap them say "like hell I will".

My twins!!! OMG, I just spewed Coke!!!

Yes, you're right, I would, but not everyone has a ready set of twins to stand by them.

 

[Charade]

Cool!! It's like DVC points, only for school! Can I just pay $1,000 upfront and get 20 FVC (Family Vacation Club) points a year?