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Old October 25th 03, 07:58 AM
dragonlady
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Default Bright 2nd grader & school truancy / part-time home-school?

In article ,
"Vicki" wrote:

"GI Trekker" wrote
I highly recommend homeschooling and finding other ways for your child to

see
her friends -- after school, weekends. This "truancy" argument sounds more

than
a bit like a threat. One thing to always remember in matters like this --

this
is YOUR child. NOT the school's and NOT the state's.

My mother faced a similar situation one time with me in the third grade,

not
with regard to truancy, but with regard to an absolute horrible teacher

who
distinctly despised me. The feeling was mutual. She also had a soft spot

for
the biggest bully in the school. The overall situation got so out of hand

that
the school board and my mother had a discussion. Of course they tried to
intimidate her, and gave preference to the teacher's statements over mine.

But
my mother was not the type to be readily intimidated, and the school board
eventually had to back down and had to persuade the teacher to back off in

her
treatment of me.

Bottom line on truancy -- what the schools are most concerned about is

that
every student who doesn't show up is ultimately money lost in their school
budget. That's why they may try to intimidate you in these forthcoming
meetings. Do not let them, and please give serious consideration to

full-time
homeschooling. It sounds like it would be the best optional educationally.


Luckily dd's teacher is very nice. The principal seems good. We're friends
with people on the school board. We are supportive of the school and have
had a good relationship in the past. dh volunteered in the classroom last
year. We initiated and donated money to start a community fund to finance
special projects or trips that teachers might want to do... I'm not saying
that the letter from the principal *isn't* about money... it just seems
misguided if that's what its about. It surprised us, got our attention...
but not in a good way. I'm angered by the letter.


Don't get too caught up being upset about the letter itself: in many
districts, they are pretty automatic. If your child misses a certain
number of days, the system automatically kicks out a letter to send to
you, and the letters all say the same thing. Depending upon the size of
the school, the principal may even have someone else signing the letters
the computer kicks out. Lord knows, I've seen enough of them -- both
for a child who was desperately ill and missed an enormous amount of
school, and for a child who had truancy issues.

If you've been calling the school to tell them of her absences, and that
she's been sick, they are not truancies, but they should be excused
absences. If you have NOT been calling the school to tell them why
she's not at school, they are, technically, truancies, and there could
be some nasty actions regarding this. If you call the school to tell
them you are taking her out for something that YOU think is important
but they do not excuse it, it is a truancy.

It would not surprise me to find out that after five truancies in one
semester they would take action; it would surprise me to find out that
they would disallow any more than five excused absenses. However, the
only way to know what is and is not the law vs. optional is to talk to a
local lawyer -- one who knows both the state law wherever you are, and
any local school board rulings. A newsgroup, with people from all over
the world, can't tell you those things. If you are very concerned, I'd
make an appointment with a lawyer who specializes in these things.

meh
--
Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care