taking kids out of school

[Unregistered]

I am just curious....I noticed on a board it said that taking kids out of school starts a controversy.... not to start one but I am just curious as to what/why people get so upset about it? I see some things but if your child is doing very well in school and you know they will not fall behind what is the harm?

 

[wilde_oscar]

some people think one way, some people think another... kinda like red vs. blue states.

 

[andymattmom]

I am just curious....I noticed on a board it said that taking kids out of school starts a controversy.... not to start one but I am just curious as to what/why people get so upset about it? I see some things but if your child is doing very well in school and you know they will not fall behind what is the harm?

I am taking my 8th and 6th grader out for a week in September. They get good grades and have good attendance. I can see if the children struggle or have missed/miss lots of days it being an issue but I have done it one other time. They did the homework before we went and it worked out.

 

[wifey1220]

my son will be in second grade and he will be missing a week of school again. he missed because of Disney trip in k and 1st grade.

 

[tinkntraining]

I, too, am taking an 8th grader and 6th grader out of school for a week in May for Disney. They are both honor roll students and I received permission from the principal. Thank goodness, our school district really works with the parents on "teaching field trips" -- as adults, we all know that learning doesn't always have to take place in school -- there are TONS of opportunities for learning at Disney (engineering, science, history, culture, math, just to name a few). As long as I'm not taking them out during standardized testings, and I don't abuse the priviledge, the district is on-board. Of course, my girls will have to make up the work they've missed. But, what a small price to have to pay for a week at Disney!

But, each to their own. I support the parents either way!

 

[patti_jim_peanut]

My daughter will be missing her first few days back to school after april vacation. We have already told the teachers and they will be giving her some assignments to work on while we are at Disney. She's in kindergarten, so obviously it won't be long division, but we try to never miss an opportunity to learn something.

 

[EltonJohn]

I am just curious....I noticed on a board it said that taking kids out of school starts a controversy.... not to start one but I am just curious as to what/why people get so upset about it? I see some things but if your child is doing very well in school and you know they will not fall behind what is the harm?

I don't why it's controversial, especially as it only conerns the parent and his/her child. It is really no one else's business.

 

[srwarden1928]

As a teacher, I would say that taking a high school student out is doing their academics a disservice, particularly if the school is on a block schedule (which is wonderful in many ways). It can be very difficult for the work to be made up at the level the student is used to. Most students do more poorly on makeup work than their usual standards, especially in math, which is what I teach. I would have strong reservations about taking a middle school student out of school for similar reasons. However, if an elementary age child is doing well in school, some time out for a trip is not a bad idea. I missed two weeks for family vacations in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th grade. We had the vacations in the summer after I got to a high enough level that the absences would have hurt.

 

[wilde_oscar]

the smart kids will figure it out and catch up, the dumb kids get a trip to disney... as I see it everyone wins.

 

[magickingdommom]

If your child's grades are well maintained and there's no issue with their attendance...it can be quite a rewarding experience. I pulled my two DDs(1st and 3rd graders) out of school last December for MVMCP for three school days plus the weekend. (OK, we lucked out and two of the three days were snow days, but who could've planned that? ) In fact when we asked permission to take them out, we promised the teachers a report from each of them. So my DDs wrote about different cultures they learned about in EPCOT. It was a win-win for everyone!

 

[penguin087]

My 8th grader flat out refused to miss a whole week of school. He is a great student and rarely misses school. He felt he would have too much work to catch up. He really, really, really cares about his grades. I didn't want to go in the summer so we reached a compromise and he will be missing 3 days in May. We shortened the trip a little and by May they are starting to wrap up and review for finals. Not as much new material being taught.

 

[goofyboyzmom]

I have an 11th grader, 9th grader and 6th grader and I have taken them out of school for 4-5 days each in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 and coming up in a couple of weeks. I agree education is extremely important and I have 3 good students. If they stuggled, I probably would not do it, but these are priceless times and our time together is more important than work they can make up. In two years my oldest will be in college and then we will have to definitely plan to go in the off time.

 

[stopher1]

Personally I don't see what the big deal is, if your children are relatively good in school and can catch up. But even if they aren't, as I paraphase what a PP said, this is a special time in their lives, and once in a while doing something this is great for the family! Which in my opinion, is JUST AS IMPORTANT as formal education. Afterall, they're only young once.

 

[Tammysue5]

We took our kids out last summer for our first family vacation... K, 3rd, 11th. I had not intended to do that again this year but the kids are good students and had not problems last year making up homework. They are only young once and not everyone can get off during school breaks.

 

[KLoRusso]

I don't see the harm in it. I plan on taking DD out of Kindergarten in January so we can take adavantage of the milder weather and smaller crowds. We thought about going in September but we don't want to have DD pulled out of a new class only two weeks after starting school. I think that if you know your child and his/her temperment you can determine if pulling them out of school is a good idea.

 

[dvczerfs]

Wow!!! Its Like Asking Who Are Voting For!!

 

[janloz]

We are taking our 2nd and 6th grader out of school the week after Thanksgiving. They are both excellent students and we have already spoken to their teachers and they will prepare work for them to do before we go, on the plane and will finish work when we get back. We are going that week since it is my son's 11th bday and we want him to celebrate in WDW (DD7 did for her 5th in 2006). He is very excited to visit Epcot this time to learn more about the countires he is studying in school. I know some teachers don't agree but I know my children and we made a decision that we think is best for us.

 

[melissaknits]

We did it twice. My kids were home schooled, so the schedule was more flexible. I could take my vacation whenever and then have them work on extra week or two into the summer. My husband's youngest was in public school. He had work to complete before he returned, which he did.

We got married down there the first year, and the date was important for us (December 14) as it was an existing anniversary and we'd waited until 1997 just to get that date on a Saturday. We were originally planning a local wedding. When the location burned down and we were scrambling for a substitute my husband said "Why don't we just run off to Disney World and get married?" We could not have afforded to go at any other time of year - got amazing deals on a suite both times.

The second time was two years later and again money came into it. Value Season can be a big bonus when you're traveling with kids.

That said I was recently chastised by a school teacher friend who was disgusted that I'd taken the one kid out for a family vacation not once but twice. And my crime was over ten years ago. She was very offended, said "What do parents think we are, free babysitters??" I said "Worse than that. I think I own them till they're 18! I just lend them to you for a few hours a day."

 

[I'mAlittleBitGoofy]

I am just curious....I noticed on a board it said that taking kids out of school starts a controversy.... not to start one but I am just curious as to what/why people get so upset about it? I see some things but if your child is doing very well in school and you know they will not fall behind what is the harm?

We do it every year. My kids are in 1st and 3rd grade. I don't have an issue with it. They are both excellent students. Some people will argue that attendance is equated into funding for the school your child attends. As long as the child isn't exceeding his/her absences, I don't see the big deal.
I have also read posts from teachers who get on their pedestal and berate us parents who pull our kids out of school for vacation. Thankfully, I don't encounter them in our school system. In fact, both of my childrens teachers are Disney fans and said, "Great, have a good time and say hello to Mickey!" Lol

 

[cassmat]

LOL, thank-God both kids are strong students. We take them out every year the week after the Christmas holidays. Our son was mad this year as he had too much catching up to do...
For the upcoming Xmas, we are going the week before Christmas, as he starts his first year of high school and the week after will be too hard as exams will start soon!!

I do not feel bad at all....