Was this parent wrong in what she did? Sent child to school sick.?

Question

I work as a teachers aid at the local elementary school. One of the students age 8 was sick running a fever. The mom came to the school from work with her own thermonitor and took the little girls temp which was 101. She gave the little girl some tylenol and told her she was going to have to stay, this was at 11:30 am. The little girl was in tears when her mom left. Our school has a rule about not having a fever, but the principal took sides with the mom. This little girl has never missed a day of school I found out so I'm sure she is sent to school sick all the time. Do you think the mom should have took her home? It seems to be common here for kids to be sent to school sick.

Answer 1

I think she should have gone home.  If schools would stop handing out perfect-attendance awards, maybe this kind of thing wouldn't happen.

Answer 2

I agree with the first poster ... it's stupid to have policies that encourage people to come to school when they're contagious.  

Of course she should be home with a fever, because she's likely contagious and pretty soon other kids will likely have it, too, including some kids with chronic conditions like asthma or something that can cause a run-of-the-mill cold to turn into a hospitalization.

However, unless this has happened in other cases as well, perhaps there were some really extenuating circumstances you didn't know about? If the principal sided with the mom, is it possible there was some really major family crisis going on (somebody in the hospital, etc.) and no one else to take the child or something? (Though of course even in that situation the little kid should have been resting in the nurse's office, not doing math....)

Answer 3

she should have took her home. when my kids are sick, they cannot go to school unless their fever has been normal for 24 hrs. not only is she hurting her child, buy her child could be contagious and infect all the other kids. that was very irresponsible on her part

Answer 4

that moms a b. itch !karma is going to come bak and bite her in her fatt a sss!

Answer 5

Of course the mother should have kept her at home, both for the sake of the little girl, and for the sake of her classmates, who were then exposed to whatever she had.

What I can't understand is why the school nurse didn't send the child home.  And when the teacher saw the mother take her child's temp and it was 101, why didn't she call the nurse, who would then of course sent the child home?  I don't know why the principal was involved, but it's crazy that he sided with the mother.

I'm angrier at the school, because if he sided with the mother, who knows how many other kids are allowed to stay at school?  It's hard to judge the mother, who knows what kinds of pressure she's under to come to work.  It's easy for me to say I'd drop everything, but until we know her situation, it's not for us to judge.

But I can judge the school, and their actions here were wrong.  Sick children belong at home, and if the parents don't abide by the rule, the school should be prepared to enforce it.

Answer 6

I think that is terrible!  Poor little girl of COURSE should have been taken home.  Sounds like you have a working mother who doesn't find it very CONVENIENT to have a sick child at home!  I would bet there is a health code law about this......

Not to mention WHO knows what sickness the child had that she was EXPOSING everyone else at school to as well!  I think that was completely wrong and your principal ought to be called on the carpet about this.   I would call the district about this incident personally!  Or email - I get wonderful results when I email the WHOLE district & council members!

Answer 7

My mom went by the 3 inch rule: if you are bleeding but it is not spurting 3 inches out or are vomitting but not projectile vomiting at least 3 inches, you go to school. I was once sent to school with a temperature of 103. I lasted about 8 minutes and then passed out. I ended up in the hospital with my mom arguing wiht the doctors that i "looked fine to her"

I think the mother should have taken the daughter home for the sake of the other children. I can't stand, however, parents that keep little Johnny home because he tripped and needs to stay in bed for the next 3 days.

Answer 8

Mayne the mom was wrong in this situation but 101 is a low grade fever and she would be fine with the meds. If it was worse your nurse b would have insisted that she go home or stay in the office. But did any of you realize thats shools get their funding by kids coming to school and staying there. This is how you get your good school ratings through the state as well. So the principal was basically covering his butt so he looked better when it came to that time of the school year where they determine these things

Answer 9

How sad!  That poor little girl. I hope they let her stay in the nurses area till she felt better.  It just makes you wonder what thier home life is like.  The principal must know what is going on, like mom has to work etc...   It stinks that you have to make a choice these days stay home and take care of your child or possibly lose your job.   If she is sick tommorow, I would take her back down to the nurse and let her rest.

Answer 10

Yes she shouldve took the child to a doctor!!!

Answer 11

i think it's horrible. i don't get why some moms do this. a sick kid should be at home getting chicken soup, popsicles and lots of hugs and kisses from mom. they wouldn't be able to concentrate at school anyway.

Answer 12

All of these people saying this woman was horrible for not taking her child home, and I get looked down on for picking my child up or keeping them home. My kids get sick once, maybe twice a year, and I agree with the school ( not the one in your scenerio that sided with that mom): the rule is fever-free for 24 hours before you can come back. I have been looked down on at jobs (missing work for a sick child) and the school says they will not give my middle schooler his work until he misses 3 days, so if he is only out for the day, I can't get his assignments for him to do at home, because he's only out for one day.

Yes, that was an awful scenerio for you to witness, but all I can say is that she may work some place that will not let her take time off, even for a sick child.

I just got hired at a company that told me flat out "do NOT call in sick for a sick child-- make other arrangements". The kick in the pants is that my husband also works for the company (who calls in?) and we just moved to a new state with NO family and haven't made any friends (baby-sitting wise) so what the heck are we gonna do?

Answer 13

WHAT THE h**l. yes it was wrong. she should have taken the child to the doctor. She must be a single parent and can't afford to miss work.  These are sad times. whats awful to think about is if the parent was mad about having to leave work to tend the girl and takes it out on the girl in the home.

Answer 14

Children should never go to school sick, because they can get everyone else sick.

Answer 15

It was wrong and there are many instances like that I personly had a lung infection (does not read on as Temperature) and i was sent to school but at the very least understandible

Answer 16

The principal was wrong to let her stay.  That's great let's just get all the other kid's sick.  Ugh some people aren't to smart are they.

I would have complained

Answer 17

Yes, it WAS wrong!  School is NOT day care and it is neglect if they don't take care of a child when they are sick.  I personally would turn the person into child welfare services!  I am not going to dignify calling the person a mother, because a mother would try to take care of a child when they are sick, not pawn them off onto others!

Answer 18

She was wrong, she probably didn't want to take off time from work.

Answer 19

Bloody h**l if my child was running a fever they wouldn't have left their bed that morning