School Absences & Doctors excuses

[Mermaid02]

I can see both sides of the coin.

Being a parent, it must be annoying to take your kid to the Doctor for simply a bad cold just so you can get a Doctor's note. Now, I would assume it would depend on the Doctor but my friend has a young child who goes to a school that's strict about attendence. When he has a cold, my friend will call the Doctor, explain the situation and he'll write a note excusing the absence at no charge, no visit, etc. I'm sure not every Doctor will do this though..

However, from the schools perspective, there is probably a district policy they must abide by. Also, it's shocking to find how many students actually forge notes, lie, and fake their parents signatures. The school is liable for it's students during school hours.

Regardless, this is an annoying situation for a parent.

I work in a pediatric office and our docs will NOT do this unless they have actually seen the child. They can't in good conscience write a note saying the child CAN or CAN NOT attend school without examining them (too much liability in our lawsuit happy society).

 

[Rora]

I work in a pediatric office and our docs will NOT do this unless they have actually seen the child. They can't in good conscience write a note saying the child CAN or CAN NOT attend school without examining them (too much liability in our lawsuit happy society).

Thanks for clarifying! I didn't think most Doctor's would do this-- I guess my friend is just really lucky (or the Doctor doesn't care about liability.. )

 

[disneygals]

I work in a pediatric office and our docs will NOT do this unless they have actually seen the child. They can't in good conscience write a note saying the child CAN or CAN NOT attend school without examining them (too much liability in our lawsuit happy society).

Not to mention the waste of time for the doctors, even if they wanted to!

OP, that would annoy the heck out of me too and I would definitely talk to someone at the school. I understand the reasoning behind these policies, but they should be handled on a case by case basis.

 

[Sandy51]

MushyMushy is right. Because of NCLB, schools will be dinged if their attendance is not up to a certain percentage (don't remember what it is right now). NCLB has caused many school districts to change policies. They don't have a choice in the matter.


Sandy

 

[rie'smom]

You know what hacks me? Ok, my child is sick-vomiting, the runs, high fever, whatever, so I keep her home per the rules. We get the doc's excuse,etc.
but the school still gets pissy.
Then you go to school (I volunteered 3-5 days/week) and there are kids puking,etc in the office. Many times the kids are at school and saying they threw up during the night but their mom's wanted them to try to go to school or their moms had to go to work. Why in the world, don't those parents get notes?
I guess it is the money. Sometimes the world is just upside down.

 

[ctinct]

It's a real problem either way. The district I work in allows 18 unexcused absences; after that, it is supposed to be an automatic loss of credit for the year. However, during their school career they are allowed one appeal of the credit loss.The child can have more than 18 absences if they get a note from a doctor. Sadly, in the younger grades I have personally seen several children miss too much school because the parents did not/were not able to get them to school on time. The city has started a special truancy program that involves bringing the parents before a judge.

On the flip side of that are the parents who send kids to school sick no matter what. Our school will only send home for a fever, so right now I am on my third week of a mild, but very annoying cough because one of our students had a VERY bad hacking cough, but came to school anyhow. It annoys me because I am not sick enough to stay home, but if I were, I would be using my sick days up because of someone else's negligence. there is a clause in our contract that if we get a communicable disease from a student, we are not supposed to be charged sick days, but trying to prove someone's cough got you sick is next to impossible. It only works with things like pink eye.

As a parent, i know it is sometimes tough to tell in the morning if your child should stay home or not. I'll admit I have been a member of the "Oh, you'll feel fine after you get moving club" on occasion, and usually I've been right. sometimes it's just hard to tell if a kid is just tired or really sick. OTOH, I have had kids in the class that are CLEARLY very ill, but they have told me that "Mom said not to go to the nurse cause she won't answer the phone or come get me." How sad is that?

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

They've had to crack down thanks to NCLB. Some of the schools in my district have been on the "needs improvement" list because of attendance issues, so they've really been after parents HARD for these absences.

For those saying 10 days is a lot of days, yes it is. But when a kid is sick, those days can really add up fast! They get something at the beginning of the year and are too sick to go for 3 days. Then a month or two later, there's another 2 or 3 day illness. A month after that, something else is going around and they're out for another 2-3 days... there you go, you're close to your 10 already and it's not even December!

If the schools are anything like my kids' schools, they can be puking in the classrooms or in the halls, spreading germs everywhere, and they won't send them home. I think schools are just big germ factories.



Send you to court, where you'll get a lovely fine. And then if you miss way too many days, give probation or even take your child off of you. That's for more extreme cases, but it does happen.

Yes, NCLB has made this more extreme. If a kid fails the test, the entire blame is put on the school. Excessive absences interfere with learning, and unfortunately not every child is able to get back into the swing of things easily or their parents do not help them with missed work. I see it all the time.

The other issue at stake is funding. A school gets their funds not by enrollment but by average daily attendance. Every time a child is out it lowers ADA and the funding. Here's the kicker- the cost of running the school does not go down because kids are out, but we do lose funding because of it. That is why many schools will shut down if a significant population is sick.

Now, this is not to say that you should send your kid to school sick, but maybe gives you an insight into these rules. Sadly, I have students whose parents don't care about their education and/or are borderline neglectful. As a pp stated, the rules are written for the worst offenders but have to encompass everybody to be "fair."

 

[snarlingcoyote]

It may actually be a state law and have nothing to do with your school's policy. We got a note like that once for one of my kids and the law quoted some PA statute.

Exactly what I was thinking! That may be the only way the school CAN excuse it. Some states have laws that are almost inhumanely strict on school attendance. The doctor's note protects you and the school legally.

 

[golfgal]

Keep in mind that a school can't just pick and choose which parents they will believe and which one's they won't. Yes, your child was sick but what about the other kid in the class that has missed 10 days because they have been on vacation or the other kid down the hall that missed 10 days because mom overslept and didn't want to take him to school or the other kid who's mom takes her out of school to go shopping or get her nails done (YES this happens). They have to pick a number and you have to follow the rules after that. It isn't aimed at you.

 

[MushyMushy]

Thanks for clarifying! I didn't think most Doctor's would do this-- I guess my friend is just really lucky (or the Doctor doesn't care about liability.. )

My doctor will do it too, and before our pediatrician retired, he did it as well. The thing is, we never abused it and the office knew we'd take the kids in if they were *sick* sick and needed prescription treatment as opposed to a few days in bed with OTC meds.

 

[monkey68]

You know what hacks me? Ok, my child is sick-vomiting, the runs, high fever, whatever, so I keep her home per the rules. We get the doc's excuse,etc.
but the school still gets pissy.
Then you go to school (I volunteered 3-5 days/week) and there are kids puking,etc in the office. Many times the kids are at school and saying they threw up during the night but their mom's wanted them to try to go to school or their moms had to go to work. Why in the world, don't those parents get notes?
I guess it is the money. Sometimes the world is just upside down.

I wouldn't judge unless you were in their shoes. Some moms really do have to work, what are you supposed to do? Leave an 8 year old home alone for the whole day? Not everyone can arrange a babysitter that last minute, or even have the money to pay for one. If the mom is working, what are they supposed to do with a sick kid? Not every job has a leninet absence policy, some jobs if you're out, you're fired. Then where would that leave the family? At least if the kid is in school, the kid is safer than if they were home alone.

 

[jodifla]

I wouldn't judge unless you were in their shoes. Some moms really do have to work, what are you supposed to do? Leave an 8 year old home alone for the whole day? Not everyone can arrange a babysitter that last minute, or even have the money to pay for one. If the mom is working, what are they supposed to do with a sick kid? Not every job has a leninet absence policy, some jobs if you're out, you're fired. Then where would that leave the family? At least if the kid is in school, the kid is safer than if they were home alone.

Another side is, not everyone has insurance so they can run to the doctor all the time!!!

Some school districts are being completely unrealistic.

Our district pushes you NOT to send sick kids in. I've looked all through the handbook, but there's no magic number of days out, unexcused or otherwise, that signals a problem.

 

[leighe]

I've stood in line at midnight to get the newest video game and let my kids stay up all night to play it. They skip school the next day and get right back on track. There have been times where they said they couldn't miss school and turned down my offer to stay at home. My kids are responsible young men and I don't need a school to tell me I have to bring in a note.

Okay, I've gone on and on too far. Don't flame me too much.

Deb

I'm not trying to flame you - but it is attitudes like this that often lead to draconian attendance policies - especially at the high school level. We have horrendous attendance issues at my school (which is pretty affluent, honestly) - kids taking off to shop for prom dresses, hair appointments, lunch with Dad, whatever - and the result is that our district is getting ready to put a new attendance policy in place which is going to be, IMHO, insanely strict, but necessary to deal with the problems.

I teach 95 kids a day on a block schedule and probably average about 10-12 absences a day. Organizing and grading make-up work and getting/keeping kids caught up takes up a huge portion of my day that could otherwise be used lesson planning, grading, getting caught up on content-related information. Plus, on a block schedule like ours, missing one day is really like missing two days.

 

[goofy!]

I don't know if I'm venting, looking for others who had similar situations, or just asking for flames, but here's the story.

The first part of the school year youngest DS, in 6th grade, missed I think about 10 days of school due to different things...1 bout of strep throat, one nasty cold, and then he had a few mornings where he had diarreah or even a puke or 2, for which I refuse to send him to school (tweaked his pm/am diet and that worked itself out. We all have sensitive stomachs in the fam) Anyway, the days added up.

So now the school is asking for a doctors excuse for any absences from here on. Their letter stated that a parent's excuse blank will no longer suffice. Now, I'm a little offended. I know that it's a generic rule they have, but what the heck? Like now my own judgement isn't good enough? Do those teachers for real want a puking, feverish kid in their classroom?

So I tend to be a rule follower, didn't question it. Now here we are and kiddo has a bad cold this morning. You know the kind where you have a low fever, sore throat and just all over feel bad? I just would not normally take him to the doctor for this - it's just a virus and there is nothing a doctor could/should do for it. Taking him in is a waste of our time and money and it takes up an appointment that another really sick person could use. Gave him cold medicine and sent him to school but feel bad about it.

I feel like having a talk with the principle...a nice talk....just so he knows we are not slacker parents who are just letting the kid skip out whenever he wants. And we are not....you know how you can see it in the kids eyes, that glossy look, when they are feeling really lousy? Yea, he felt really lousy this morning.

I don't know, I guess I'm just venting, but there are times that I do sincerely understand why people homeschool.

As stated previously, it may not be the school, it may be a state truancy mandate. You may want to check to see if this is a state law or just a school policy. The school may have its hands tied and have to enforce it.

 

[mhsjax]

10 sounds like a lot, but if your kid gets really sick more than once, it's easy to get to. Before DD had her tonsils out, she missed that amount due to strep in just one term.

That strep throat is a bear isn't it. 10 days does sound like a lot, however, my son had a case of strep and for some reaason the antibiotic didn't touch it and he ran a fever of at least 101 degrees for at least 5 days, then it started going down. We did get a Dr's note for this, and had no future problems. OUrs is based on the length per illness not how many illnesses, up to a certain point. I think 15 days total. And as long as you have a Dr's note for the prior illnesses that doesn't count. I hate the way schools have to behave. They seem to think that they are the parents and not us I actually have to start keeping track of my son's exercise activity for gym. They require at least 30 minutes per day, outside of school gym class, including weekends. Now my son goes way over this time but how is it any of their business what activities my son participates in, outside of school. I think these school systems need to remember who the parents are and but out of our business, unless they have a REAL reason to be concerned. Sorry to hijack post and rant over. lol

 

[dairyou]

I'm not trying to flame you - but it is attitudes like this that often lead to draconian attendance policies - especially at the high school level. We have horrendous attendance issues at my school (which is pretty affluent, honestly) - kids taking off to shop for prom dresses, hair appointments, lunch with Dad, whatever - and the result is that our district is getting ready to put a new attendance policy in place which is going to be, IMHO, insanely strict, but necessary to deal with the problems.

I teach 95 kids a day on a block schedule and probably average about 10-12 absences a day. Organizing and grading make-up work and getting/keeping kids caught up takes up a huge portion of my day that could otherwise be used lesson planning, grading, getting caught up on content-related information. Plus, on a block schedule like ours, missing one day is really like missing two days.

No insult taken. I work at a high school and know how it is. Unfortunately while we were standing in line at midnight my son's geometry teacher was there too....And yes, he was "absent" the next day

Deb

 

[mhsjax]

My doctor will do it too, and before our pediatrician retired, he did it as well. The thing is, we never abused it and the office knew we'd take the kids in if they were *sick* sick and needed prescription treatment as opposed to a few days in bed with OTC meds.

You are lucky, I don't work in a Dr's office now but have for 15 years, all kinds. And most Dr's won't even consider writing a note for work or school without seeing the patient first. Just isn't going to happen. I would hang on to this one.

 

[Nancy for Disney]

I don't think I would be bothered one bit by the school asking for doctor's notes. They have to have a way to draw the line consistantly to be fair. It is the slacker parents to blame. There are too many parents out there that are too drugged out to get their kids to school or care if their kids go to school. I wish it was a world that all the parents could be trusted to make the right decision for the children but unfortunatly there are a lot of parents that don't. Sorry but I work for an agency that deals with slacker parents and hear about this stuff all the time. Those parents are also the type of parents that raise heck when their kids are treated differently than others.

 

[Pooh Crew]

Our school district will only excuse an absence if accompanied by a dr's note. All parent notes are considered "explanations" but are never considered excused absences.

IMO, this is exactly why so many illnesses seem to run rampant through our school. If a child is not sick enough to go to the dr, a parent almost feels obligated to send them to school. In our district, children are allowed to stay at school even if they are vomitting so long as they do not have fever! Isn't that just crazy?! (And for anyone wondering, yes, that is the written policy--I've seen it.) A child is supposed to be fever free for 24 hrs before returning to school, but if your dr's note is only for the day of the dr visit, guess what? Junior's headed back to class--fever or not, because his absence will not be excused. It's just crazy.

It all comes back around to federal funding. Gotta love it.

 

[MiniGirl]

Our school district will only excuse an absence if accompanied by a dr's note. All parent notes are considered "explanations" but are never considered excused absences.

IMO, this is exactly why so many illnesses seem to run rampant through our school. If a child is not sick enough to go to the dr, a parent almost feels obligated to send them to school. In our district, children are allowed to stay at school even if they are vomitting so long as they do not have fever! Isn't that just crazy?! (And for anyone wondering, yes, that is the written policy--I've seen it.) A child is supposed to be fever free for 24 hrs before returning to school, but if your dr's note is only for the day of the dr visit, guess what? Junior's headed back to class--fever or not, because his absence will not be excused. It's just crazy.

It all comes back around to federal funding. Gotta love it.

This is how our district is as well, and I firmly believe it has nothing to do with slacker parents and everything to do with funding. I have taken my youngest to the doctor's office several times just because I needed the excuse. I hate wasting the doc's time and taking her away from patients that really do need to see her; but that is the position the district policy has put me in, and I refuse to send my dd to school if she is sick.