My daughter missed 8 days of school, Now I could go to jail?

Question

My child started a new school Dec.07. Since then she has missed 8 days of school (never missed a day at previous school) which might result in a conference with a social worker. Children in her class are being sent to school sick which in return is getting her sick. Her class has had 8 children out at the same time due to some type of illness that spreaded amongst them. The school sent notes home to all parents asking us to keep our children home if they are sick. She keeps catching a cold from these children which has her coughing badly with mucus in her throat and a very running nose. Instead of sending her to school getting other children sick, I keep her home until at she starts to get better. They have no soap in the bathrooms (which are very nasty) I had to contact the dept. of health about them not allowing the children to wash their dirty hands but ONLY sanitize. My question is: should I send my child to school even if she's sick to keep from going to jail or being fine

Answer 1

That's rediculous. It woudl be one thing if the school actually cared why your child was out - but they don't. They are just upset that you aren't sending her and they aren't getting the funding. Ugh. How I do loathe the public school system!!! But I won't rant.

The deal is, it will depend on your state - and it is likely you will have to see someone - either a meeting with the principal or both the principal and the school social worker - depending on what policies your school has. However, it is usually just a formal thing so that they can say you were warned and as long as you don't do it again you should be fine. You certainly are not going to go to jail for 8 days which can be explained away by childhood sickness.

From now on though, you may want to send her to school when she is sick - take her to the office and show them that she is sick. Or better yet, send her in and wait the 20 min for them to call you back to come and pick her up. We had to do that with my son when he was in kindergarten and it worked out well - they never complained when we kept him home again. I am sure it helped that he threw up all over the office desk for the school receptionist ;) (Talk about karma)

I think you should look into different schools for the following year! Greatschools.net will give you reviews of schools in your area and you can try to get her in a better on next year!

Answer 2

not if you have a docters note

Answer 3

no get doctors note

Answer 4

OMG, Homeschool.

homeschooling is so much better.

i have been homeschooled my whole life, and honestly say that the only reason i dun have friends, is cause they all hate me for the label they give me. people try and make friends, and i push them away.

With homschooling, your more free to do you own stuff!

I did this for about 2 years  http://www.ohva.org/dg/dg_oh.html?se=Goo...

and it's great.

I only stopped because i perfer doing my own books.

Answer 5

Kindergarten is not mandatory.  Therefore, it doesn't matter how many days she misses, you will not go to jail or be fined.

My daughter missed 20 days in the first grade and they didn't even blink.  Kids get sick.  

I would refuse to send my child when she is sick.  It's not fair to your own child let alone others that may get sick.

Answer 6

I'm with the 1st gal...get a doctors note...it is not like you have her out all night partying and she has a hangover and doesn't want to go to school...I hate this new "RULE"...they can't hold it against you if you have a doctors note!

Answer 7

No you shouldn't send your daughter to school when she is sick, but do get a doctor's note for the school. They can't do anything to you if there is a reason for her not to be at school. You may have to sign an attendance contract though.

Answer 8

I can understand the schools concern...8 days is a lot in that time period but I don't think you have anything to worry about honestly.  You won't go to jail..they just want to check to make sure there is not anything else going on.

My daughter missed this whole week of school because of the flu..as long as you are keeping in contact with the teacher to let them know WHY your child is out..it should be fine or they will call the absences "unexcused" and that raises a red flag.

Answer 9

When did it become the goverments right to tell us how to raise our children?

Answer 10

Don't even get me started on the unintelligent people who are in charge of our schools. In the old days a person could keep their kid out for a week to rest up and recover. Now the schools are practically strep factories with all those sick kids milling about.

Just think about how much money is wasted on the social workers salaries that could  be spent on books or something useful.

It probably would be best to send her in and have the school nurse look at her before entering schools on days she is feeling sick. The nurse can see if she has a red throat or is coughing. I would probably do that to avoid the meeting, Not that you have to go, it may just be a hollow threat at this point in time. Next year I would try to use the sick days more carefully so that you don't run out near the end of the year.

I would document everything you don't like about the school, no soap, kids who are very ill coughing in class and send a letter to principal and copy nurse and social workers. Schools hate letters it makes them very nervous. Make sure the letter is factual. If you can get other parents as allies the more the better.

Tell them no way you will take child to docs for every sickness unless they give you the money up front.

I would also check into actual school requrements re sick days and check some into home schooling. If you qualify you could just threaten to home school her the rest of the year if they make a big enough fuss.

I wish you the best. Maybe you can move to a school district with soap some day.

ps I would never sign any sort of attendence contract. If they hand you a paper say you have to read it over and think about it for some time and then never sign it.

Answer 11

if you have a doctor's note, those days that she missed are excused.

Answer 12

No, but I do think when she is absent you need to call the school secretary or teacher and when she returns be sure she takes them a doctors excuse. That way you have records of calling and if it does go as far as you getting fined you have proof it was for a good reason(that she missed school)

Answer 13

That happened to me my senior year of high school, and they won't send you to jail. The social worker will most likely have you sign an attendance contract that says your child can't miss school for the rest of the year without a doctor's permission. That's what happened with me. I'm not sure what will happen if that attendance contract isn't kept since your kid is so young, but with me, if I ever broke mine, I would be put on probation. You will not go to jail for your child missing school, unless it is obvious neglect or something. They just say that to scare parents! They did it to mine too, and trust me, nothing ever happened except we had to sign a paper.