You could probably tell from my article about sending kids to school sick ("To Send or Not to Send") that I was fairly emotional about the topic. With flu season around the corner, I am stressed already that my children, God forbid, will get sick again. This school year I have already received 2 of those ‘letters’ even though we had sorted out the problem with the first that arrived. I really have broken a personal best! I mean, are we really at threat of being sent to jail because our children don’t live up to the system’s healthy expectations, or do you think like me that it is too extreme a threat?
I have on a few occasions sent them to school with a sniffle and quite honestly felt guilty, but what can you do? Someone somewhere has devised this grand plan of attendance percentages, and Mr. or Mrs. Jobs-Worth implements it, giving no thought to the reality that our schools are like public gathering places for germs to latch onto on another and spread the good word so to speak. Am I alone in feeling that this is an issue within the system that needs to be re-addressed? Anyone got any amazing ‘sick’ stories to tell? Or are you a teacher that has a view on this? I would love to hear from your side, too. Do you mind having sick kids in your classes, or would you prefer the parents keep them at home?
Ok - I'm just going to say it - please get rid of the Perfect Attendance award! It is not some major life accomplishment that your kid went to school every single day. I know, I know - my kids have never been in contention and never will. They get sick every year. But when I saw a kid throw up on stage when called for his perfect attendance award, well, that certainly told me that he needed to be home that day, huh? Just don't fire somebody because they couldn't work when their kid was sick - so much easier said than done!
ReplyDeleteI sometimes wonder if the school systems get some kind of "bonus" if they have a certain percentage of attendance...it certainly would explain their tactics.
ReplyDeleteAs with notes...Josh drove me insane with them! I would carefully write them out and he would forget to turn them in! The year they held him back, partially due to absences, I later found the note from him doctor, excusing him from school...in his backpack! He never turned it in!!
Oh, Lea - the school excuse thing! I found several floating in my older son's backpack and nearly had a heart attack. I called the school and here's the real shock. They were very reasonable about it and said they weren't worried. But then I got diabolical, and asked the attendance secretary to call him out of class and give him a lecture anyway. She did, and I haven't found one since. I'll accept my crown of evildom, and the school gets the common sense award!
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