Taking kids out of school to go to Disney. Horribly irresponsible or acceptable in some situations?

[charmed59]

We are highly considering taking our then to be 7th grader out for 4 days Labor day week......i dont really want to, i have no problem in elementary but i know middle is tougher.....hes an average student but not too good in math.....but our family of 5 our youngest turns 3 middle of September so if we try and plan it during actual school weeks they have out this coming school year we would be paying another $2,000! Basically because we get priced out of the one room value

Junior high is tougher. Also failure has bigger consequences. By 7th grade students are expected to start a math sequence that would get them through certain skills before heading off to college. Getting behind now would put him behind when applying to colleges, and may mean his first year after high school would be in the local community college.

It’s not the end of the world, but you might be able to fix this now. Since he is already having trouble in math maybe getting a tutor or summer school before 7th grade starts would get him ahead. By September, if he’s strong again in his subjects 4 Disney days won’t mean a thing.

 

[DrunkJam]

Reminder that for UK parents, check your LEA policy. Some LEA routinely fine parents for removing children for holidays, with additional penalties for repeat occurrence.
Some are much more case by case basis lead though.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

We take all 5 of our kids out for 2 weeks each year for vacation. They don’t miss much school the rest of the year. Only once did one of my kids schools have a problem with it and told me they would fail my straight A student if she had that many unexcused absences, so I said ok well my daughter will be sick for those weeks then, and nothing ever came of it. IMO experiences like vacations are just as important as education. On your death bed you won’t remember what you did those days in school but you will remember that trip. As long as the kids make up the work it’s not a problem imo. My kids get the work before we go and do it on the (very long) car ride there and back, and nowadays they each have a school-issued laptop and all their work is done on it so it’s not hard for them to keep up with the class.

 

[MrMichaelJames]

We are taking my kids out for disney world followed by a disney cruise. My 3rd grader will be missing 12 days. The school has a different policy than the school district they are in. The district says that missed days for vacation are unexcused and after 10 days you'll get called (dragged) in for a meeting. The school says that all missed days are excused as long as they are notified and to have fun. The teacher is going to prep a packet for her to work on so she won't fall behind. The school did tell us though that if you miss 15 consecutive days you are auto unenrolled. But they have to be consecutive. So even though she has missed some days earlier and will miss another block of 4 later they aren't consecutive so it doesn't matter.

The way I view it is, its elementary school. She is reading at a 5th grade level and her math is at an end of 4th grade level. I'm not worried. My youngest in in preschool, so that doesn't count at all. Middle school will be more difficult, high school will probably be impossible. So since we aren't there yet we are going to take advantage of the time we all have right now.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Younger than HS I wouldn't give it much thought - and wouldn't hesitate before 6'th grade . Once they get to HS that's a no-go for us though. Kindergarten? You've got to be kidding. Enjoy the trip.

 

[Boopuff]

I work in a low-income district. And with each absence, it's money the school doesn't get. Depending upon where you live attendance = $

 

[flybear]

my kids used to go to a school where most parents were quite affluent and they took their kids out of school for all sorts of reasons ... ski-vacations, cruises , Disney trips. And according a a teacher I knew well - parents did not seem to care much about their kids finishing make up work or - that their kids were behind already. And the school wasn't do much about it. It was the teachers who got stuck with the extra work ... and blame if students did not pass their course. Should a school down grade that otherwise A student ... I think absolutely unless that student makes up the work missed - otherwise it is clearly unfair towards the students that were present and had their work count towards their grade- and towards the teacher who had to customize work for the missing student? I think it is a matter of priorities ... taking a 5 year old out of K isn't a big deal at all - or any elementary student for that matter- but secondary school? How are you going to explain to your kids the importance of education and work ethic if it is suddenly fine to skip school for a vacation- how is it that your family gets to go in the middle of the school year while everyone else waits for vacation time? Why should the teacher give you make up work that causes him extra work because ... you want to spend time in a theme park or on a cruise? Disney trips are not educational in my book ... there is absolutely nothing in a middle school or highschool curriculum that would justify visiting a theme park or on a cruise to further any kind of academic goal - let's face it ... it is relaxation ... which is totally fine but don't pretend otherwise! And don't be surprised if some teachers will simply not cooperate and move mountains so your kid doesn't get behind or offer make up opportunities ... they have enough to do as it is without dealing with absent students who request a list of to do items ... Please realize that any absence and " package" the teachers deal with causes them extra work and they will be held responsible for catching the student up ... so be kind to them and ... possibly buy them a coffee for their trouble.

 

[DisLiss]

Gosh, I'm thinking about how crazy it is that this thread started in late 2019, talking about a late 2020 trip, and all that has happened between those two dates. And now it's a few months later still and this thread is still making its way to the first page and how now things are so different for so many kids in school right now that some of what people have said in this thread previously might not even be what their answer would be today.
For my own family, if we were interested in going to WDW under the current conditions (Which we happen to not be, but that's just our personal feelings about it.) our kids could literally do their entire day of school from the resort provided we could get a good enough internet connection. Mind you, I don't know how much of their attention would be on their classes if they were taking them from WDW.
But I also wonder if we won't see more people taking their kids out of school once we start moving out of the current pandemic situation. I can definitely imagine some families saying "Look, we haven't gone anywhere in X amount of time, and school or no school, we're going now." I don't have any opinions on if people opt to do that, but I can imagine more people being tempted to do so.

 

[Julie Amber]

I take my kids out for at least a week every year, whether Disney or on a cruise. Never regretted it. They all graduated high school and went on to college. We're down to our last kid (of 7) and what we've learned is that it's the time together as a family and the memories that are important in the long run. Whatever their math lesson was that week can be made up or reviewed later (and then quickly forgotten)

 

[spiders]

I take my kids out for at least a week every year, whether Disney or on a cruise. Never regretted it. They all graduated high school and went on to college. We're down to our last kid (of 7) and what we've learned is that it's the time together as a family and the memories that are important in the long run. Whatever their math lesson was that week can be made up or reviewed later (and then quickly forgotten)

Yes. The kids work around my schedule. I don’t get 60 days off in the summer, a week off at Thanksgiving, 3 weeks off in December and a spring break. I’ll be lucky to get Christmas Day off. No animosity towards the teachers — the time off is a perk of their job. But my kids’ vacations will revolve around my schedule and not the other way around.

 

[Sandiz08]

We try to stick to the limit on unexcused absences. We also always notify teachers and they appreciate it. Most say have fun. We have received the district letters, but they are just a warning that it cannot be happening often. My children always make up their work and we have never had issues. Kids get pulled out of school all the time for a number of reasons.

 

[yorkieteacher]

Retired teacher here who had many students go to Disney with my blessing, and who took my grandson out of 1st grade for a week. We have to first clear it with our principal, and submit three proposals for what they will learn while on the trip. Mine for the grandson were Wilderness Explorer activities, Kidcot Spots, and a list of new words he learned to decode. Makeup work must be completed, but I honestly excused most of it when my students went, and my grandson's teacher also excused his. He did present his Kidcot book and Wilderness Explorer books during a class share time. My only issue would be if students who were struggling were kept out with no attempt to get any tutoring time in, or if they missed standardized tests required by the state which were a pain to make up (well those tests were all pains in general and teachers hated them as much as students!). It basically boils down to what your school district will allow.

 

[Summer2018]

My nephew and his wife are working 100% remotely, and their daughter who is in high school is studying remotely. They have been to Oregon, California, North Carolina and WDW during this school year. They all get their work done and have enjoyed traveling this entire time.

If kids get their work done, I think it’s awesome.

 

[Lilsia]

Retired teacher here who had many students go to Disney with my blessing, and who took my grandson out of 1st grade for a week. We have to first clear it with our principal, and submit three proposals for what they will learn while on the trip. Mine for the grandson were Wilderness Explorer activities, Kidcot Spots, and a list of new words he learned to decode. Makeup work must be completed, but I honestly excused most of it when my students went, and my grandson's teacher also excused his. He did present his Kidcot book and Wilderness Explorer books during a class share time. My only issue would be if students who were struggling were kept out with no attempt to get any tutoring time in, or if they missed standardized tests required by the state which were a pain to make up (well those tests were all pains in general and teachers hated them as much as students!). It basically boils down to what your school district will allow.

I hate hearing that some school districts expect the parents to come up with "reasons" to take their kids out of school and "ask permission". Here's a reason, their my damn kids. They don't do that where I live because the parents would not put up with it. Nobody should put up with that. A school should not have any say or control over people's lives and children. If the kid misses school, then have them make it up. No need for the theatrics of having the parent grovel to get "permission". That is just a power move, showing you that they have "control" over you. It is BS.

 

[yorkieteacher]

I hate hearing that some school districts expect the parents to come up with "reasons" to take their kids out of school and "ask permission". Here's a reason, their my damn kids. They don't do that where I live because the parents would not put up with it. Nobody should put up with that. A school should not have any say or control over people's lives and children. If the kid misses school, then have them make it up. No need for the theatrics of having the parent grovel to get "permission". That is just a power move, showing you that they have "control" over you. It is BS.

In many school districts, teacher allotment is based on average daily attendance. If you have lots of children with frequents absences, the school will lose teacher positions, which results in large classroom sizes where students can't get the attentions they deserve. While most parents are responsible, a few parents do exist who would rather not bother with getting their kids up and to school. States say kids should be educated, either in public or private schools, or at home with a choice of curriculums. Again, parents exist who would abuse the system and neglect their kids education, giving them the example that they don't have to go to school, or later to work. Sadly, most laws were written for the few who would break them and not do the right thing on their own. And some students are not able to catch up quickly if they miss numerous days, and the school is held responsible if they don't achieve on grade level. I couldn't teach them if they weren't there, and it was frustrating for everyone. It sounds like where you live all parents are responsible and don't abuse the system. That's wonderful, but unfortunately not the norm.

 

[Lilsia]

In many school districts, teacher allotment is based on average daily attendance. If you have lots of children with frequents absences, the school will lose teacher positions, which results in large classroom sizes where students can't get the attentions they deserve. While most parents are responsible, a few parents do exist who would rather not bother with getting their kids up and to school. States say kids should be educated, either in public or private schools, or at home with a choice of curriculums. Again, parents exist who would abuse the system and neglect their kids education, giving them the example that they don't have to go to school, or later to work. Sadly, most laws were written for the few who would break them and not do the right thing on their own. And some students are not able to catch up quickly if they miss numerous days, and the school is held responsible if they don't achieve on grade level. I couldn't teach them if they weren't there, and it was frustrating for everyone. It sounds like where you live all parents are responsible and don't abuse the system. That's wonderful, but unfortunately not the norm.

They go off of enrollment, not if someone misses a few days of classes in the middle of the year. If 3 kids in a class are gone the same week, they don't fire a teacher because you now have "less" kids. And there is a big difference between delinquent students and taking a week off to go on vacation. We all know that there are differences in schools depending on the demographics. If your child is at a school that the majority of kids show up, there is no reason to have the parent come up with BS reasons why they should be "allowed" to take their kid out of school. That is completely a power move. And no principle can "excuse" you from the law if the law says that you can not take your kids out of school. If a principle decides that they are the ultimate decider of your child's educational fate, then you know that they are just on a power trip. Our city has laws about delinquencies also where the parents would have to go to court and it has nothing to do with teachers or the principal. But that is an extreme case of missing many days of school, going on a week long vacation is not even on the radar for that. And if a parent does not give a crap about their kids and lets them skip school, getting "permission" from the principle isn't going to do squat. LOL They are not going to automatically think, "well the principle won't excuse this absent so I better send my kid to school".