*Rant* My daughter's teacher is going to fail her before school even starts...

[StacyMarie]

This is a long one, lol....

In the state of MI, a bill was passed back in 2006 that required all public schools to start after Labor Day, thus freeing up the Labor Day weekend to be a part of the summer vacation. My daughter is on our school's marching band. The ENTIRE month of August M-F from noon to 5 p.m. is spent learning the upcoming show for the season. Also, there is a 5-day overnight required trip to band camp that each student is required to attend and pay $350.00 to attend.

This year, after she gets home from the mandatory 5-day overnight camp, we have 2 days and then we leave for Disney for 10 days. We will be getting back from Disney 2 days before school starts so she will not miss any school BUT while we are gone she will miss the first 2 home footballs which happen to be BEFORE the school year even begins. When I notified her band director over a month ago, he never got back to me until yesterday. His response is he has to FAIL my daughter for the marking period for missing those 2 first home football games because they are "required" performances. FAIL MY DAUGHTER BEFORE SCHOOL EVEN STARTS????

First off, how can my daughter's grade be based on 2 performances that she misses when those performances happen before the school year even started? Secondly, is this not the EXACT reason MI passed the legislation that school begins AFTER Labor Day, so families could take their summer vacation over Labor Day weekend if needed, the last official weekend of summer???

An "F" on my daughter's report card would ruin her GPA. She is an excelloent student and works hard for her grades. She finished her freshman year with a 3.8 GPA. She refuses to take an F, which I do not blame her. I am so angry with this situation! She has been playing clarinet for 6 years, a clarinet that I spent $1100.00 on and also numerous private lessons and now she is being forced to take an F in a class or completely drop the class.

I do have a call into the principal of the school because I want an answer to all of my questions. I just had to rant...Thanks for listening!!!

 

[supercarrie]

I'd be ranting, too. Your story makes me happy I am both done with high school and not yet old enough to have children in high school.

I'd be interested to hear what the principal has to say about this.

 

[mhsjax]

This is a long one, lol....

In the state of MI, a bill was passed back in 2006 that required all public schools to start after Labor Day, thus freeing up the Labor Day weekend to be a part of the summer vacation. My daughter is on our school's marching band. The ENTIRE month of August M-F from noon to 5 p.m. is spent learning the upcoming show for the season. Also, there is a 5-day overnight required trip to band camp that each student is required to attend and pay $350.00 to attend.

This year, after she gets home from the mandatory 5-day overnight camp, we have 2 days and then we leave for Disney for 10 days. We will be getting back from Disney 2 days before school starts so she will not miss any school BUT while we are gone she will miss the first 2 home footballs which happen to be BEFORE the school year even begins. When I notified her band director over a month ago, he never got back to me until yesterday. His response is he has to FAIL my daughter for the marking period for missing those 2 first home football games because they are "required" performances. FAIL MY DAUGHTER BEFORE SCHOOL EVEN STARTS????

First off, how can my daughter's grade be based on 2 performances that she misses when those performances happen before the school year even started? Secondly, is this not the EXACT reason MI passed the legislation that school begins AFTER Labor Day, so families could take their summer vacation over Labor Day weekend if needed, the last official weekend of summer???

An "F" on my daughter's report card would ruin her GPA. She is an excelloent student and works hard for her grades. She finished her freshman year with a 3.8 GPA. She refuses to take an F, which I do not blame her. I am so angry with this situation! She has been playing clarinet for 6 years, a clarinet that I spent $1100.00 on and also numerous private lessons and now she is being forced to take an F in a class or completely drop the class.

I do have a call into the principal of the school because I want an answer to all of my questions. I just had to rant...Thanks for listening!!!

I think I would raise all sorts of "you know what". I have never heard of games before school started. I wouldn't stop until I got the answer I wanted, I don't see how that is even legal.

I also will cut my nose off to spite my face, so personally I would rip her out of band just to mess them up completely and let the band director deal with it, but that is me and sometimes I do pretty dumb things.

Pleas keep us updated. Nothing should keep you from your summer vacation at Disney.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My dd did Marching Band and we made sure to be there when she was expected to be there. I would never ever plan a trip where my HS student would miss anything related to school.

I don't understand why students sign up for things and then get mad when they are penalized for skipping out on it. Missing a football game is a huge no-no.

You made a mistake not making sure that it is an OK from the band director beforehand.

You have no leg to stand on, really. Can she drop band and take something else? I mean school has not started yet. I would look into that as an option.

 

[DawnM]

Sorry.

I would find out from your daughter what she wants to do and change my Disney plans if necessary.

Were the first 2 games NOT on the schedule?

Dawn

 

[golfgal]

She would fail at our school too. She made the commitment to be in band and you scheduled a 10 day vacation, missing 10 days of practice and 2 performances-how is this the TEACHER'S fault??? Sorry but YOU are failing your DD not the teacher. Around here you just know that once band starts the kids have to be there and you don't schedule vacations after band starts.

 

[Allison]

She would fail at our school too. She made the commitment to be in band and you scheduled a 10 day vacation, missing 10 days of practice and 2 performances-how is this the TEACHER'S fault??? Sorry but YOU are failing your DD not the teacher. Around here you just know that once band starts the kids have to be there and you don't schedule vacations after band starts.

Same here.

 

[mhsjax]

My dd did Marching Band and we made sure to be there when she was expected to be there. I would never ever plan a trip where my HS student would miss anything related to school.

I don't understand why students sign up for things and then get mad when they are penalized for skipping out on it. Missing a football game is a huge no-no.

You made a mistake not making sure that it is an OK from the band director beforehand.

You have no leg to stand on, really. Can she drop band and take something else? I mean school has not started yet. I would look into that as an option.

But school hasn't started, I have never heard of such a stupid thing, it would be different if school had officially stared but this takes the cake. So I DO understand why she signed her DD up, it isn't like the school session has officially started. And since when do you have to clear with the beloved band director you summer plans. In my experience from what I have seen with friends that are in band, these directors have a "god" complex. They need to be dealt with.

 

[mhsjax]

I am sorry but you guys let your school band dictate what you do with your summer. Wow, I am d=sorry but my time is mine and no one tells me what to do with it. When school officially starts then yes. Other than that too darn bad. But then again and no offense to anyone but my kids wouldn't be caught dead in band. Sorry. Not a real popular thing down here where I live
maybe up north it is different, but down here not so much.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

But school hasn't started, I have never heard of such a stupid thing, it would be different if school had officially stared but this takes the cake. So I DO understand why she signed her DD up, it isn't like the school session has officially started. And since when do you have to clear with the beloved band director you summer plans. In my experience from what I have seen with friends that are in band, these directors have a "god" complex. They need to be dealt with.

When you sign up for band, you know the rules. Choosing to ignore them is not going to get you out of the bad grade.

Marching Band starts a month before school, always. It is part of the commitment.

 

[Allison]

But school hasn't started, I have never heard of such a stupid thing, it would be different if school had officially stared but this takes the cake. So I DO understand why she signed her DD up, it isn't like the school session has officially started. And since when do you have to clear with the beloved band director you summer plans. In my experience from what I have seen with friends that are in band, these directors have a "god" complex. They need to be dealt with.

If you make the commitment to be in band, football, volleyball, whatever it may be then you need to be there when expected. It's not just band, it's the fall sports too. Practices start well before school starts and you are expected to be there. These schedules and expectations shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. At least they aren't in my area. Families should know what they are committing to and then be willing to follow through. If it doesn't fit into your summer schedule, that's fine. But then don't participate.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I am sorry but you guys let your school band dictate what you do with your summer. Wow, I am d=sorry but my time is mine and no one tells me what to do with it. When school officially starts then yes. Other than that too darn bad. But then again and no offense to anyone but my kids wouldn't be caught dead in band. Sorry. Not a real popular thing down here where I live
maybe up north it is different, but down here not so much.

You better include fall sports in that too. They also start before school. I am sure the football team has been practicing all summer. I see PP stated this the same time I did.

 

[Northstar]

She should drop the class.

After all, you knew about, and didn't have a problem with, the August commitments which are also outside the school year, right?

This is not a class that runs with the school year. They need the kids for those games, those are their performances. The sports team players committed to be there outside the school year and so did the band members.

The thing is, it doesn't seem a big deal for one student (your daughter) to miss for a family vacation... but they know that, if they didn't put huge penalties in there to discourage this, lots of kids would be missing a game here, a game there.

Now feel free to vent about the difficulty of scheduling a family vacation around the masses of can't-miss commitments kids have. That, we can all agree with!

 

[abdmom]

I'll bet that the marching band qualifies as a summer class as well as a fall class, so the "no school before Labor Day" doesn't apply.

 

[StacyMarie]

FYI, she is NOT missing 10 days of practice, she is only missing 2 home football games. There is no practice after they get back from the 5-day overnight camp.

In the State of MI, legislation was passed so that school is required to begin AFTER Labor Day because too many students were missing school to go on vacation over Labor Day. This falls into the EXACT reason that bill was passed, so students COULD NOT BE PENALIZED for taking a family vacation. I know for a FACT that my daughter is not the only student missing at least one of these games. I know for a fact that in the past, students were offered to write a 3-page report to make up for a missed performance so their grade would not suffer. I hold a position on the band board and I know that this band director has made other arrangements for other students. He is not extending any other option to my daughter as he has made in the past to other students.

 

[Mickey Fliers]

The difference between the band and fall sports is the grade. If my sons skip Football practice, they don't play. OP's daughter misses Band and she gets an F. That is total Bull!

 

[luvsJack]

For every activity that the kids do in school here, the director or coach sends home a lengthy "contract" that states everything that is required such as performances, games, cost and anything else they want the parents to be aware of and agree to. Were you never told that these games or any games were required for a grade?

If not, then I don't think it would be hard to get around it.

They have to have some kind of exception rule. I mean kids get sick, emergencies happen. (not saying Disney is an emergency) But, if you really were not told that these games were required and being that the band director really did not get back to you in a timely manner; it seems that they could put this same exception in place.

It may make for a hard year with your daughter though especially if the band director is unhappy about having to make changes. Is there no way to change your vacation plans or does she want to go ahead with the trip?

 

[Christine]

If you make the commitment to be in band, football, volleyball, whatever it may be then you need to be there when expected. It's not just band, it's the fall sports too. Practices start well before school starts and you are expected to be there. These schedules and expectations shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. At least they aren't in my area. Families should know what they are committing to and then be willing to follow through.

Yes, that is my understanding too.

My kids have never really been involved in much so it's not been an issue. This year my son is doing Cross Country. His first practice starts August 9th and continues each day. We got an e-mail from the coach who stated that he understood that "things come up", however, he expected that both parents and students knew beforehand the commitment to the practices in August and he expected that vacations would not really come up.

Of course, if I did have one planned and we went, my son would not get an "F" as Cross Country is not graded. But I would fully expect that he could be cut and I wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

As for marching band, it is a HUGE deal in this area. It starts mid-summer and is a big commitment. I don't know if the public high schools have 2 games prior to school starting, but it's not unusual for them to have one game the week before school starts. I would think that everyone would know that upfront and, since marching band is graded, yeah, you need to be there.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

FYI, she is NOT missing 10 days of practice, she is only missing 2 home football games. There is no practice after they get back from the 5-day overnight camp.

In the State of MI, legislation was passed so that school is required to begin AFTER Labor Day because too many students were missing school to go on vacation over Labor Day. This falls into the EXACT reason that bill was passed, so students COULD NOT BE PENALIZED for taking a family vacation. I know for a FACT that my daughter is not the only student missing at least one of these games. I know for a fact that in the past, students were offered to write a 3-page report to make up for a missed performance so their grade would not suffer. I hold a position on the band board and I know that this band director has made other arrangements for other students. He is not extending any other option to my daughter as he has made in the past to other students.

If you are on the "band board" why couldn't you get the OK before you scheduled the vacation.

Clearly you knew the rules then.

 

[luvmy3]

I would ask your dd which she wants to drop- Disney or band.
I can't really say much more about it since I totally disgree with schools putting such a high importance on a "band" grades, its not like its science or math. Anyway your dd made the commitment and yes its seems unfair that the school year hasn't begun but since part of her class participation is being at the performances she needs to face the consequences. You said she has been to practice everyday and to camp, was all that for the school's marching band? If so I don't see how you can be upset about something starting before the first day of school since se has been required to do something all summer for this class, sorry OP.