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Old October 25th 03, 05:15 AM
ColoradoSkiBum
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Default Bright 2nd grader & school truancy / part-time home-school?


"Vicki" wrote in message
news : Today we received a warning letter for truancy for our 2nd grader. The
: principal said she was concerned about dd's absences. I am not concerned
: about dd's absences--she is bright, she knows the material [she's missed
: five days this month, but received 100 on her test for materials covered.]
: I don't think the teacher is concerned. But the principal said dd is only
: allowed 5 excused absences per semester.
:
: I'm not happy about the possibility of legal sanctions for keeping dd home
: (she was sick this month, but I wouldn't hesitate to take her out of
school
: for other things we feel are important.) Can they prosecute us for
truancy
: when dd is top of her class? I don't see the harm to anyone in dd not
: going. And she *will* miss more school at Thanksgiving (important family
: time.)
:
: We had planned to talk at school conferences about keeping dd home one day
: per week, or bi-weekly, to enhance her education. But from what I've read
: about truancy laws tonight, this doesn't seem to be allowable. Has anyone
: done this or know if it is doable?
:
: dd does not want to homeschool full-time--she likes seeing her friends at
: school and we think this is good for her. We have discussed getting
: appropriate challenge in her classroom--the teacher has been helpful, but
: there is only so much she can do. We chose not to skip dd to the next
grade
: as she is already the youngest in her class.
:
: Have others faced this truancy problem? How do you approach it? If this
is
: a law (5 days/semester,) does the principal have much leeway in enforcing
: it? If not, then who do we talk with? The DA? Is it possible to
: homeschool part-time (the days dd misses) and avoid a truancy enforcement?
: Could we test out of second grade and attendance be optional?
:
: dh is calling the principal next week, and we will meet with dd's teacher
in
: three weeks. I'd like to have a sense of our options before we go so we
do
: what's right by dd and cause the least distress to her teacher and
principal
: (who are quite nice.) Any help would be greatly appreciated.
: Thank you.

If your child is missing school because she's sick, then she is *not*
truant. The school cannot punish/penalized you or her for missing due to
illness. They may require that you provide a doctor's note (which is a real
PITA since it means you have to take her to the doctor if she's sick), but
that's as far as they can go. If her absences are "unexcused"--IOW not due
to illness, a funeral, etc.--then they *can* penalize you. In fact in my
area the courts can actually fine the parents $2500 per day for each
unexcused absence. This only occurs in extreme circumstances where the
parents obviously just don't give a s**t about their child's education.
Your statement about "taking her out of school for things you feel are
important" is getting pretty close to the line. I wouldn't want to stand in
front of a judge and try to explain that one.

As for keeping her at home 1 day a week for "home schooling," IMO that's a
big mistake, and they could definitely come after you for truancy for that.
If you want to home school, then do it, but don't do it half way. If she
misses 20% of the school days, then she'll miss 20% of the material that her
teacher expects her to learn--or you will unreasonably expect her teacher to
spend additional time every week helping your daughter get caught up on
material she missed. If you don't want to do full-on home schooling, then
do it on Saturdays instead of on a regular school day.
--
ColoradoSkiBum