Q from a Mom re: taking your child out of school

Hope you don't mind me crashing the board but I have a Q about school and I am getting mixed answers from non-teachers I know. My son is in 1st grade and we wanted to take him out of school for 3 days to go away as a family. Are we allowed to do this? I wouldn't want to lie and call him in sick but can we just send a note and say he wont be in from Wed-Fri due to a family matter? He'll probably go back to school talking about his fun so I wouldn't want to lie or ask him to lie but I want to make sure how we should handle it. Someone told me a child is considered truant if they are out unless they are ill or have an emergency but is that even true? Could we get in trouble in any way?

Thanks!

Re: Q from a Mom re: taking your child out of school

If his attendance is fine otherwise I don't think its a big deal. It happens all the time in my class. (I teach 1st grade)
I save the work they missed and they get a few days to complete it. But there are other school's/teachers more anal about it.

Re: Q from a Mom re: taking your child out of school

You're "allowed" - you're his parent, you can take him out whenever you want - but it's considered an "illegal absence" (other than for illness). Not the same as truancy, at least it wasn't in my district. You won't get in trouble. I wouldn't lie and call it a family matter though (sounds serious, teacher might be concerned), I'd be honest that we were going away, especially because the kid usually winds up talking about it anyway.

Re: Q from a Mom re: taking your child out of school

Thank you for the feedback. I agree about the family matter wording. It does sound like something worrisome. I guess I feel a bit guilty about taking him out even though he's a very good student.

Re: Q from a Mom re: taking your child out of school

I agree with the others that you are allowed to keep your child out of school, it is your choice. However, if the child is not sick then it is considered an illegal absence.

IMO, at the elementary level this is not a huge deal and the amount of work to make up isn't to terrible. I teach at the high school level and when the students miss school due to a vacation they tend to miss a lot of work. Often the students fall behind if they miss a lot of school.

Re: Q from a Mom re: taking your child out of school

I have a student currently out for extra time for an extended vacation, usually if you tell the teacher ahead of time they can even give you some owrk so they dont fall too behind.

My parents used to do this when i was in grade school for a week, every year (we went to the poconos) my teachers always gave me a packet to do.

Re: Q from a Mom re: taking your child out of school

In my district it is considered an unexcused absence, which basically just means that the teacher can't send home missed work during that those days. Nothing happens, the child just misses the work - if you have a good student, then it's not too big of a deal. However, I have had lower kids be out for that amount of time and it really affect the child.

I highly doubt you can get in trouble - I have never heard of that. Just say you were away dealing with a family matter.

Re: Q from a Mom re: taking your child out of school

The district I work in, it's an illegal absence and the child is suppose to be given a 0 for any work missed. That being said not all teachers follow the rule.

Re: Q from a Mom re: taking your child out of school

If I know before hand, I generally send home the work for them to do before they go away or as soon as they get back. I teacher a combined 1st and 2nd grade class. I wouldn't have a problem with it.

Re: Q from a Mom re: taking your child out of school

definitely tell the teacher the truth ahead of time!

Re: Q from a Mom re: taking your child out of school

I don't know about the timelines, but I know in my school time off needs to be approved by the principal (usually not a problem).

Also, as the above poster said, for unexcused absences like that the teacher is not required the send home make up work - but most do.

Re: Q from a Mom re: taking your child out of school

in my district, its unexcused but often the parents just send the teacher a note and will ask for the work to do on vacation...I give them the necessary stuff and ask them to write a journal about their exp. (if its a vacation!)