UPDATE: Missing the speech...Just a series of mistakes

[EMom]

So many of you had asked about why DD was taken from class before the speech and I was unable to update you. As far as I'm concerned, the mods can close this ASAP if they fear it will become political. This post is not political, but simply an update. Actually, the other thread could have been about DD mistakenly being removed from class for ANY reason, it just happened to be the speech.

I talked to the proper people at school and let them know we were not on the war path. I know they've had a hard week. I just wanted to know HOW it happened, especially if there might be a new student with a name similar to DD's. If so, then this could serve as a heads up to let everyone know there's potential for getting them confused in the future. I wouldn't want DD stuck on the wrong bus or something.

It's a bit convoluted to get into, but long story short, it was just a series of mistakes including the school erring on the side of caution and not wanting to accidentally leave an "opt outer" in class. She was in a teacher's class who is not her home room teacher, that teacher didn't have the official list and when her HR teacher (who was not feeling well, but probably knew THAT was not the day to have a sub ) was asked for a last minute check, she gave DD's name partly because DD had told her last week, "My mommy might send a note. I'm not sure." DD asked me for that note daily, even over the weekend. She loves to read and was dying for extra time in the library. I think her optimism about getting a note may have stuck in the teacher's head and put us in the "opt out" category.

Everyone at that school was on heightened alert status, what with the news crews appearing regularly, etc. There was a lot of anxiety. I think it was an honest mistake and it was exacerbated by them not wanting to make any "opt out" parent mad by mistakenly keeping their kid in class. Of the teachers involved who have contacted me, both have been profusely grateful that we weren't angry. But I used to be a teacher and I do try to cut some slack. It's not as if she missed the actual president.....She can always watch the speech later.

I'm relieved to know there is no kid at school with a name so close to hers that they'll be confused.

 

[mjkacmom]

We had to sign permission slips to ALLOW our children to watch it, and I forgot to send them in, and the teachers called me to make sure I wanted them to opt out (how embarrassing). I was disgusted that we needed a permission slip to allow our children to watch our President give an address to school children, and many parents called up the superintendent of schools to complain.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Thanks so much for the update I can't blame (not that you are--you are not) the school for erring very far on the side of caution with all of the publicity they were enduring. I am gald to know there is nothing more going on which could lead to mix ups in the future

 

[HeatherFeather]

We had very little fuss about it here in our smallish city. School never announced anything about it. I asked DD 9 last night at dinner if they had seen a speech by the president at school and she said they had. She said it was pretty good but would have been more interesting if he had talked about Pokemon. I also asked if a lot of kids were out sick yesterday and she said no one in her class was absent.

 

[HeWhoMustNotBeNamed]

We had very little fuss about it here in our smallish city. School never announced anything about it. I asked DD 9 last night at dinner if they had seen a speech by the president at school and she said they had. She said it was pretty good but would have been more interesting if he had talked about Pokemon. I also asked if a lot of kids were out sick yesterday and she said no one in her class was absent.

At least he mentioned J.K. ...

 

[Rora]

Glad to hear it was just a misunderstanding!!

 

[englishteacha]

I tried to show it in my class, but my projector didn't work. We'll watch it another time. My statement to the kids was: "Even if you don't agree with the president, he's an excellent speaker. Since we do a lot of presentations and speeches this year, I'd like you to pay attention to how he presents." Then the projector didn't work. Oh well.

 

[EMom]

I tried to show it in my class, but my projector didn't work. We'll watch it another time. My statement to the kids was: "Even if you don't agree with the president, he's an excellent speaker. Since we do a lot of presentations and speeches this year, I'd like you to pay attention to how he presents." Then the projector didn't work. Oh well.

Wasn't there something in the speech about him working hard to try and get more computers, etc. in schools? Perhaps you could have your class write to him and tell him they WOULD have watched his speech, but their projector didn't work and they would greatly appreciate it if he would expedite the process of getting a new one for the class.