School Registration Forms - Too Personal?

[Annadesu]

I have great respect for teachers, and the people who care for children in general...but that's too much. Perhaps they could add a question like "Did any difficulties arise during your child's birth that may have caused developmental delays?" Still kind of personal, but not as bad I guess...

 

[dbrn]

I don't honestly know if it was on the applications for my kids or not. I would answer it. I've talked to plenty of people about the birth of each of my kids. Telling someone I had c-sections doesn't feel too personal to me at all. I think there are other questions that would be more effective for the purposes of the school, but I don't find the question offensive or too personal. This wouldn't be a blip on the radar for me; I'd answer it and move on.

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

I don't understand why they need this information unless there are issues with the child while in school where these factors might be at play. I don't understand why it would be necessary for every student to have this information on file when only a small percentage will ever actually need it.

 

[already]

Not something I would answer and I am usually pretty flexible.

To me, that is putting the cart before the horse and causing negative expectations. If a teacher reads that a child was born via c-section she may be unconsciously looking for signs of trauma. If my child is experiencing difficulties and an IEP meeting is needed to work out solutions, then we can discuss the type of birth my child had to see if it is a contributing factor.

 

[Tiffylv]

.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Some moms have repeat C-sections to keep the uterus from rupturing, so maybe the first baby had trauma, but not the subsequent ones. Some times the "old fashioned" type of delivery is more traumatic than a C-section, especially when the cord is wrapped around the baby's neck and the doctor has to yank him/her out in a hurry.

I wouldn't answer that question on the kindergarten registration form.

 

[Minnesota!]

Wouldn't bother me. No shame in anyway that a child was born.

 

[monarchsfan16]

At the school I work at, it's not the teacher that sees registration forms, it's the nurse.

That being said, in our district, that question only appears on case history forms for special ed evaluations, and on the registration for our developmental preschool (read: primarily special ed students). It does not appear on standard registration forms.

 

[hereyago]

C

Wouldn't bother me. No shame in anyway that a child was born.

It isn't about shame, it is about privacy. It isnt relevant to the education of the child.

 

[Maleficent Dragon]

https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/the-outrageous-kindergarten-application-question-122950416687.html

I saw this story this morning and wondered what you guys all thought about it. I don't have kids so I've never filled out school forms, but I do remember bringing them home for my parents to fill out. I don't think that question was ever one there, and it does seem too personal to me.

Perhaps a more broad question/prompt, like "Where there any birth complication that could contribute to developmental problems?" then maybe some blank lines to explain what they were?

Very personal. Much of that has nothing to do with getting an education.

 

[disney4us2002]

Okay, a half hour ago when I first read this, this seemed like the most bizarre question ever.
THEN, I Googled it.
Soo, it is a little less bizarre a question given the hmmmmmm factor on some very very preliminary research on the potential negative impact of a C-Section that someone may carry with them the rest of their life.

Wait, what? What a bunch of crap. Just more stuff to blame on mothers I guess.... I give as much credence to that baloney as the adult men who now believe they are forever traumatized because they were circumcized when they were 2 days old!

Those questions seem odd to me for a K or higher program. Maybe I'd give that info to a daycare or preschool program, maybe.

 

[Dizlvr]

I think the mom in the story is over reacting, with her comment "they want to know about my ******" its clear she is trying to make this into something it isn't. It may be none of the schools business how her child was born, but they weren't looking for information about her ****** that is for sure.
This wasn't a question on any of the forms I've ever filled out, and I wouldn't have an issue if it was, I'd check the appropriate box and move along. I don't care if the nurse or anyone else at the school knows how my children were born.

 

[pigletgirl]

I don't find it too personal. It isn't like their looking for the child's conception story or something.

 

[IDoDis]

A case history is asked and documented by the diagnostician when a child is being tested for special ed, but at that point it is relevant. The questions don't ask if the child was born via c-section. The questions are centered around if the pregnancy and delivery had any complications or not. If a child had a brain bleed during a delivery, that would be relevant, but on a normal registration form? Heck no!

 

[DawnM]

That is a question for the doctor's office and the doctor's office only.

Oh, and they did ask about it when I had my son tested at the Psychologist's office. It seemed appropriate as they wanted to know if he had lost any oxygen or had a traumatic birth.....he did have one, so it was worth mentioning.

 

[Minnesota!]

C



It isn't about shame, it is about privacy. It isnt relevant to the education of the child.

I know that, but still, it is the same, to me, as asking what color hair or skin or eyes mom has. I don't care.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

I'd probably attach a sheet with the full gory details of everything that went on.

Cause I'm silly like that. Oh, and I don't care what anyone thinks about me or my delivery choices.

 

[DisneyDreamer2504]

I don't have children and I'm glad I don't have to do these forms! But what I'm wondering, is what good does this information actually do? Little Timmy is having some trouble in class, they look at the form and go 'ah, little Timmy was born via c-section, it all makes sense now!' Teachers and schools nurses aren't generally qualified to make a diagnosis based on birth experience. And wouldn't any struggles at school require discussion with the parents? At which point the possibility of birth issues could be brought up? I'm not saying teachers and school nurses aren't highly qualified, only that any issues or delays would likely require diagnosis from another professional outside the school.

 

[gwynne]

I don't have children and I'm glad I don't have to do these forms! But what I'm wondering, is what good does this information actually do? Little Timmy is having some trouble in class, they look at the form and go 'ah, little Timmy was born via c-section, it all makes sense now!' Teachers and schools nurses aren't generally qualified to make a diagnosis based on birth experience. And wouldn't any struggles at school require discussion with the parents? At which point the possibility of birth issues could be brought up? I'm not saying teachers and school nurses aren't highly qualified, only that any issues or delays would likely require diagnosis from another professional outside the school.

I totally agree. Correlation does not imply causation. It's easy to draw a quick straight line between two factors. Whether they are actually materially related to the problem at hand is another matter. It's really important if these kinds of issues are being considered, that they are looked at by someone who is highly qualified.

 

[laurafergie]

I was asked questions like this for the last two DDs for PreK, not kindergarten. I was told it was in relation to the Federal No Child Left Behind funding that the PreK program received. At that time, in the city I lived in, placement was not guaranteed in PreK, and preference was given to children at need. There were lots of other questions regarding drug use, food stamps etc..I answered it because I didn't care and I wanted my kids to go to PreK. DD15 didn't get in, but DD11 did as later they had expanded the program.