School districts punishing parents for taking kids out for Disney!

[crisi]

Now, please do not take this post as an insult to people who are immigrants, as my family immigrated to America. But, you bet your bottom dollar that they taught themselves the language and knew it well. Bottom line - We need to stop band-aiding the problems in this country and get to the root before it's too late.

My great grandmother never spoke a word of English in her life. She couldn't teach her kids English. They learned it at school. This problem isn't new - - my grandfather went to a poor inner city school where if you flunked out, you flunked out and no one cared. Getting an eight grade education was enough - his high school education was more than adequate for a good union job at the factory post WWII. That's a little different than the "no child left behind" mentality, mandated testing and very few decent paying jobs available for someone who only finished high school.

(My other grandfather grew up near New Ulm Minnesota - when he went to school it was still taught in German as well as English - lots of families didn't speak English at all - and my grandfather and lots of his German speaking neighbors were a third or forth generation Americans - he was born in the 1910s and his family had emmigrated to the U.S. in the 1820s - he didn't finish eight grade, and raised a family as a machinist. )

Things are very different now, but they are also very much the same.

 

[elaine88]

man, what is the big deal. when i went to school every student had 10 excused days for vacation and 5 excused days for hunting. has this changed? we took time off every year to go on vacation. we were expected to do the work, to figure it out or else face the consequences, i.e. bad grades.

naturally i will take my children out of school for vacations when they are older and no, i will not pay any kind of fee, optional or otherwise. this is just silly.

 

[crisi]

man, what is the big deal. when i went to school every student had 10 excused days for vacation and 5 excused days for hunting. has this changed? we took time off every year to go on vacation. we were expected to do the work, to figure it out or else face the consequences, i.e. bad grades.

naturally i will take my children out of school for vacations when they are older and no, i will not pay any kind of fee, optional or otherwise. this is just silly.

What has changed is that schools are now held accountable for your kids' performance - enough of them get bad grades (actually score poorly on testing) and the school loses funding or even gets closed down. Plus, in our interest of making sure "no child gets left behind" we have passed more and more truancy laws - CPS can show up at your house, can take you to court, if you don't make your kids go to school.

You can opt out by chosing to homeschool or sending your kids to private school - but if you opt in, you are subject to the laws regarding sending your kids to school.

We elect the school boards and representatives who make these laws and policies.

 

[kribit]

My great grandmother never spoke a word of English in her life. She couldn't teach her kids English. They learned it at school. This problem isn't new - - my grandfather went to a poor inner city school where if you flunked out, you flunked out and no one cared. Getting an eight grade education was enough - his high school education was more than adequate for a good union job at the factory post WWII. That's a little different than the "no child left behind" mentality, mandated testing and very few decent paying jobs available for someone who only finished high school.

(My other grandfather grew up near New Ulm Minnesota - when he went to school it was still taught in German as well as English - lots of families didn't speak English at all - and my grandfather and lots of his German speaking neighbors were a third or forth generation Americans - he was born in the 1910s and his family had emmigrated to the U.S. in the 1820s - he didn't finish eight grade, and raised a family as a machinist. )

Things are very different now, but they are also very much the same.

I'm sorry if I offended you...it's very hard to "explain" in writing. I wasn't being critical of immigrants. Please don't think that. My ancestors also didn't speak English when they emmigrated to America and I understand it was hard to adapt.

I guess what I was "trying" to explain in my post was that teachers have a difficult time enough teaching the basics but then throw a large language barrier in there and it makes it more difficult to attain the high scores on the standardized testing. Not to mention, if a large population can not speak English, chances are extremely high they can't read English, therefore vastly lowering the scores. But, this is just one of the reasons for low standardized testing.

I understand it is hard, but things "are" different now. Your grandparents and mine were forced to make a living and are probably very proud that they were able to do that with very limited means. My grandfather never asked for help when he emmigrated from Italy. He had $10 in his pocket and the clothes on his back at 13 years old. He taught "his" parents the English language because he knew it was necessary to live in America.

Things are taken for granted these days, people don't appreciate the gifts they are given in America. My ancestors, and I bet yours, were proud to be Americans and to have the opportunity to "Live the American Dream." They weren't given the world on a silver platter...they had to work for it.

 

[leighe]

We elect the school boards and representatives who make these laws and policies.

Thank you! So often on the Dis schools and teachers/administrators are just raked over the coals when in reality we are following guidelines, rules, or policies that we actually had very little say in writing or implementing.

 

[elaine88]

i guess i will have much to learn in the coming years as my kids grow up and attend school. it is not in my character to just shut up, pay my taxes and pay for private school as well. i may have to get involved in local politics. if only i could opt out of paying for public schools. yeah, i'm the bad guy.

 

[meandtheguys2]

if only i could opt out of paying for public schools. yeah, i'm the bad guy.

Well, as long as it is only your kids that matter...

We homeschool, but I don't resent doing all that is possible for the local educational system. I do resent paying $150,000 for the superintendent.

 

[bzzymom]

My son attends private school, so it doesn't affect me. We have several children of doctors who take their children on trips to conferences with them. I feel that it is the parents decision to take children out of school or not.

 

[katyjeka]

A couple of my best friends are elem. school teachers, and they admit to "passing" a child that is not ready for the next grade, because holding back is discouraged within the school system. So, in this case, it does come back to MONEY. I do feel sorry for our teachers, as they, in good conscious, do not like doing this. We live in Pa., so maybe it's different in other states. I hire for a local hotel, and would love to hire some young adults for summer employment. They come in eager to work, BUT, they can't count back change without a calculator, figure local, state taxes, and have a hard time relating to the public. What happened to Sir and Mam, etc..? Before I get attacked, this is not every child, but it does pertain to quite a few. One thing I've learned from this. Don't count on our local school system to teach the basics. They are to busy teaching foreign languages to students who have yet to master English. And math, please, trig. to a child who can't count change for a twenty?? We will not allow our children to use a calculator until they can count back change, and understand basic consumer math. Janice

 

[Starr W.]

Thank you! So often on the Dis schools and teachers/administrators are just raked over the coals when in reality we are following guidelines, rules, or policies that we actually had very little say in writing or implementing.

I feel rather sorry for them in our district, our board is all over the place with stuff. They really want to move the 5th graders to the middle school(if they ever get the new additon levy passed). This is because they can't follow their Strategic Plan(which I worked on) which was to build a 5/6 building. Teachers dislike it, parents dislike it, only admin that is for it is the MS principal and his assistant. Don't know why the board doesn't listen, DH jokes the MS guy must have some rather risque pictures of board members.

In the past 10 yrs we have had 2 big changes in the board at election time and the funny thing is as soon as they are on they forget what they campaigned for and turn into clones.

 

[ksloane]

Im not sure how I feel about that. Our public schools in Louisiana are in horrible shape and the teachers are about the lowest paid in the country.
Im ok with giving the schools extra money, but I didnt realize they lose money when kids are absent.

I think most schools in the country have a pay system that is based on attendance. I know for a fact Texas does; I'm sure any that did not do now that No Child Left Behind has been passed.

What has changed is that schools are now held accountable for your kids' performance - enough of them get bad grades (actually score poorly on testing) and the school loses funding or even gets closed down. Plus, in our interest of making sure "no child gets left behind" we have passed more and more truancy laws - CPS can show up at your house, can take you to court, if you don't make your kids go to school.

You can opt out by chosing to homeschool or sending your kids to private school - but if you opt in, you are subject to the laws regarding sending your kids to school.

We elect the school boards and representatives who make these laws and I policies.

Exactly!! School policies are approved by an elected group of people (whether it be the legislature or the school board).

I live in a rural area East Texas and there are 3 - 4 school districts in this area that will face grave consequences if they are not found "acceptable" this year. Tests scores are one factor, but attendance is also one. Schools do lose money when students are absent. I'm not sure if I approve or disapprove of this school, but when you think about that you are taking away from your child's education funds...I think maybe I'm ok with it.

Want to help your school out? Unenroll your kids while you take them on vacation and then sign them back in when you get back. Then there is no penalty for the schools.

 

[dfarner]

I feel rather sorry for them in our district, our board is all over the place with stuff. They really want to move the 5th graders to the middle school(if they ever get the new additon levy passed). This is because they can't follow their Strategic Plan(which I worked on) which was to build a 5/6 building. Teachers dislike it, parents dislike it, only admin that is for it is the MS principal and his assistant.

I understand why the parents wouldn't like it-5th graders are too young to be in a traditional middle school atmosphere. The difference between a 5th grader and a 7th/8th grader is huge!

 

[Starr W.]

I feel rather sorry for them in our district, our board is all over the place with stuff. They really want to move the 5th graders to the middle school(if they ever get the new additon levy passed). This is because they can't follow their Strategic Plan(which I worked on) which was to build a 5/6 building. Teachers dislike it, parents dislike it, only admin that is for it is the MS principal and his assistant.

I understand why the parents wouldn't like it-5th graders are too young to be in a traditional middle school atmosphere. The difference between a 5th grader and a 7th/8th grader is huge!

The 5th grade teachers don't like it either, the most outspoken is at our elementary(great teacher, hopefully we'll get him next year). It won't effect our eldest, but the younger one starts K next year. To be honest I am not crazy about the 6th graders being at the MS, but the worst thing is they have to ride the bus with high school kids(the few that don't drive).

 

[dfarner]

The 5th grade teachers don't like it either, the most outspoken is at our elementary(great teacher, hopefully we'll get him next year). It won't effect our eldest, but the younger one starts K next year. To be honest I am not crazy about the 6th graders being at the MS, but the worst thing is they have to ride the bus with high school kids(the few that don't drive).

You have every right to go to that principal and request that teacher next year.

 

[lovegrumpy]

We just moved Cali and they way are school got around it is as long as they seen the child they would count them as being there. So if one was sick we would go to school check in the office then back home we go. Same with if we were going out of town stop in and they got counted for that day al least.

No that my kids are getting older I would hope we wouldn't pull them out but you never know. My dh has a good job that lets him have anyday off that he ask for. We just don't ask in Oct because he would be told no.

 

[Starr W.]

You have every right to go to that principal and request that teacher next year.

Actually all three are very good(+1 more for next yr) and since they coteach in 5th grade he'll probably have him for 1/2 his classes. I find out my son's teacher in the spring(he's on an IEP) where everyone else has to wait until the class lists are posted.

I have always kept that to myself, as some of my neighbors get into a snit, that he's always got the "A" teacher and their kid hasn't.

 

[jpeka65844]

Could it be because of the salaries (over 50,000 a year for the average teacher with only a bachelor degree)

Wow! Where do you live? I've been teaching for 7 years, have "only a bachelor degree" and don't make even CLOSE to that and NEVER will unless I get a masters AND teach for 17 years AND accumulate 24 graduate hours (on top of the masters)! I'm in the wrong district!




Denice T.
Olathe, KS

 

[ksloane]

Wow! Where do you live? I've been teaching for 7 years, have "only a bachelor degree" and don't make even CLOSE to that and NEVER will unless I get a masters AND teach for 17 years AND accumulate 24 graduate hours (on top of the masters)! I'm in the wrong district! Denice T.
Olathe, KS

I hear you. To make 50,000 where I teach you have to be an administrator with a lot of experience (or an athletic director, but that's a whole other story ).

 

[mericletwins]

Wow! Where do you live? I've been teaching for 7 years, have "only a bachelor degree" and don't make even CLOSE to that and NEVER will unless I get a masters AND teach for 17 years AND accumulate 24 graduate hours (on top of the masters)! I'm in the wrong district!




Denice T.
Olathe, KS

Ok...I make about 43K with just a bachelors. 4th year. However, trying to compare from one area in the country to another is impossible due to different cost of living factors. For instance, our property taxes are about $8k for an 2600 sg ft house w/ 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths on less than an acre of land. In different areas of the country it is very different. Grocery shopping per week for our family of 5 is on average (with nothing extravagant added in) about $350/week. Friends of mine from another area of my state came to visit us and she had to go to the store and she was astonished at the prices. She said the baby items she purchased were abot 3x the price she paid at home.

 

[crisi]

I'm sorry if I offended you...it's very hard to "explain" in writing. I wasn't being critical of immigrants. Please don't think that. My ancestors also didn't speak English when they emmigrated to America and I understand it was hard to adapt.
.....
I understand it is hard, but things "are" different now. Your grandparents and mine were forced to make a living and are probably very proud that they were able to do that with very limited means. My grandfather never asked for help when he emmigrated from Italy. He had $10 in his pocket and the clothes on his back at 13 years old. He taught "his" parents the English language because he knew it was necessary to live in America.

Things are taken for granted these days, people don't appreciate the gifts they are given in America. My ancestors, and I bet yours, were proud to be Americans and to have the opportunity to "Live the American Dream." They weren't given the world on a silver platter...they had to work for it.

You didn't offend me, but I wouldn't go back. My great grandfather worked fourteen hour days six days a week in a stockyard. Many of his coworkers lost hands (he only had three fingers). His first wife died in a stockyard accident. His wife (my great grandmother) also worked in the stockyard. My grandmother was home alone from the time she was four years old. Watching her two younger sisters. The half blind neighborlady who spoke a different language than they did was home if there were problems.

Yes they worked - and I wouldn't wish their life on anyone.

My mother in law works integrating Somali women into the community. Their sons and husbands drive cab, work as security guards - most hold two jobs and work six days a week. They are less likely to lose fingers - but they work too. The women clean office buildings or work retail. These are hard working, very nice and very generous people who fled a war and famine - some who do not speak English well enough to teach it to their children. They are also proud to be "Americans" - and grateful for the opportunity to recreate lives here.

Next time - smaller brush.