Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

Absolutely! Excessive tardies add up. Some students are late to school a few days a week which can lead to missing lots of instruction. I think it is good that a school would not accept a student due to excessive latenesses. It is lesson that the student and hopefully the parents will learn from.

Message edited 2/2/2011 3:53:58 PM.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

I agree that it should be held against them at that age. I mean, either she lives close enough to walk or she could get a bus. Its the parents fault in elementary school, but not in middle school. Kids need to take some responsibility.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

This almost has me in tears.

Different situation with me and my sibs.
We were all honor roll, all the time. No one was allowed not to be.
We worked so hard on our yearly science projects. They were good, really good.
The data that is presentation? not so much.
The science fair was the same time every year and when it came time to purchase display boards...my mother did not have the money to buy 4 of them.
So we used poster boards and tried to make do.

We should have won...we were the best. But we didn't because they were these little put together things...hidden in between the big large boards.
ahhh....things that would have been done differently.

So this brings me there. I think elem school could have had a hearing or something. To really count this against the girl or not. I think more could have been done on her current schools part, maybe a call to be made to HS explaining situation.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

Jess, Catholic schools are different - policies and procedures vary from school to school, including admissions.

I would have someone appeal it. If there is a teacher or someone at the current school who could speak up for her, it could make a difference. That's assuming, of course that the parents are on board and are willing to admit that the tardiness is their fault.

And to answer some of the other posters, Catholic schools take kids from all over. If we had stayed in Queens, my DS probably would have gone to Catholic school and there is no way he would be able to get himself there in 8th grade. I don't think some people understand the situation.

Message edited 2/2/2011 4:19:22 PM.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

I think they should but I definitely think a warning should have been issued to the parents before it got out of hand. At least that way it wouldn't have come as a shock to them and perhaps they could have made an effort to get her in on time.

I do feel bad for your niece though since it is definitely NOT her fault.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

Posted by MrsPowers

Posted by Ophelia

Technically eighth grade is of middle school age even though she is in a private elementary school. I think the point she was trying to make that is time for the child to stand up to her parents and explain to them that their latenesses are interfering with her education and that she is going to get to school on her own. There are plenty of children at that age that get to school on their own.

maybe. but that is not what her catholic school calls it. it's called elementary school.

and maybe now she could have a point and talk to her parents. but they used LAST YEAR's attendance card. so it doesn't do anything for her now.

and I would love to see any of you let your 11-year-old daughter take the A train by herself. it wouldn't happen.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

I think it all comes down to responsibility and accountability..for both the student and the parents. I do think it should be noted and if it's part of the admissions criteria for high school - and every applicant is subject to review on attendance - then no exception should be made.

I am sure she is not the first nor the last to be rejected based on poor attendance/excessive tardiness. It's unfortunate and her parents really need to figure out a better way to handle this problem.

Again...I don't want to come across harsh...I feel for her and assume that this is a HUGE disappointment.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

Posted by Ophelia

Posted by MrsPowers

Posted by Ophelia

Technically eighth grade is of middle school age even though she is in a private elementary school. I think the point she was trying to make that is time for the child to stand up to her parents and explain to them that their latenesses are interfering with her education and that she is going to get to school on her own. There are plenty of children at that age that get to school on their own.

maybe. but that is not what her catholic school calls it. it's called elementary school.

and maybe now she could have a point and talk to her parents. but they used LAST YEAR's attendance card. so it doesn't do anything for her now.

and I would love to see any of you let your 11-year-old daughter take the A train by herself. it wouldn't happen.

I honestly don't think you should speak for what other people would or would not do.

It seems as if you have everything under control so good luck to your niece.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

Posted by Ophelia

Posted by MrsPowers

Posted by Ophelia

Technically eighth grade is of middle school age even though she is in a private elementary school. I think the point she was trying to make that is time for the child to stand up to her parents and explain to them that their latenesses are interfering with her education and that she is going to get to school on her own. There are plenty of children at that age that get to school on their own.

maybe. but that is not what her catholic school calls it. it's called elementary school.

and maybe now she could have a point and talk to her parents. but they used LAST YEAR's attendance card. so it doesn't do anything for her now.

and I would love to see any of you let your 11-year-old daughter take the A train by herself. it wouldn't happen.

Doesn't matter which way you hash it---her parents are wrong for not being responsible and getting their kid to school on time. They should take this as a lesson learned. Tardiness is not acceptable.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

Message edited 2/2/2011 5:23:20 PM.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

My cousin got mono or something (back in the 70s) and didn't get accepted to my highschool (which you wouldn't want to go to now) because of excessive absences..

I was taking the public bus to school starting in the 5th grade because we moved and the school bus didn't stop near my house.. but the B64 is a far cry from the A train.

I don't want to take the A train now, forget about when I was 11. :haH:

I'm sorry for your niece.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

Posted by Ophelia

Posted by MrsPowers

I honestly don't think you should speak for what other people would or would not do.

It seems as if you have everything under control so good luck to your niece.

why? why can't I have a belief based on what I have read? I am open to be proven wrong. I just truly do not believe it would happen. nor do I believe that any of you would think it was a prudent thing to do (and I would agree.)

your last comment was unnecessary, but I know I am not your favorite. so I will take it in stride.

I do appreciate your point and will maybe talk to my niece about how important it is for HER to make it known how much being late bothers her to her parents. so for that input, I do thank you.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

Posted by Ophelia

Posted by MrsPowers

Posted by Ophelia

Technically eighth grade is of middle school age even though she is in a private elementary school. I think the point she was trying to make that is time for the child to stand up to her parents and explain to them that their latenesses are interfering with her education and that she is going to get to school on her own. There are plenty of children at that age that get to school on their own.

maybe. but that is not what her catholic school calls it. it's called elementary school.

and maybe now she could have a point and talk to her parents. but they used LAST YEAR's attendance card. so it doesn't do anything for her now.

and I would love to see any of you let your 11-year-old daughter take the A train by herself. it wouldn't happen.

I see a lot of young kids take public transportation to school in the city.

I think the wealthiest people have car service and drivers for their kids. The next group has a nanny accompanying the child on the public transportation. Then there are the kids who just take public transportation on their own.

I know high school (age 14) is different from middle school but I know tons of kids who traveled from the boroughs to attend Stuy in Manhattan. I think it is somewhat common in the city.

Personally I would not feel comfortable with this for my child. That is one of the reasons we plan to move out of the city and back to the suburbs.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

I had a student show up at 11:30 yesterday because his parents couldn't get their acts together and get him there on time. It was disruptive - very disruptive and quite honestly, in my case, disrespectful to my position as educator. It made me feel more like a glorified babysitter. Most of our academics occur in the morning before lunch. I also work in a day treatment center where 99% of our kids receive multiple therapies and ultimately the child loses not only academics, but related services he so desperately needs.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

I am sorry for your niece..it totally stinks, but attendance is a big part of school...sort of unrelated, but only because I had the experience..when I was student teaching in NYC, I had a third grader (TALL, older looking, but EIGHT) taking the 2/3 alone to 14th street to a bus from 96th street! I used to try and get on the same train because I felt bad for her and wanted to make sure she was safe for as long as I was on the train and couldn't believe it...so I understand your comments about kids being on public transport alone..

That being said, best of luck to your niece and maybe this happened for a reason!

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

IMO, of course not.......specifically not in this case, no.

In fact, I think it's kind of ridiculous. She's a minor. I can see not getting into college due to poor grades/behavior, etc....but HS denying you based on lateness? entirely the parents fault, and why should the kid suffer for that?



regardless, can anyone vouch for her? write her a letter of recommendation? perhaps you? i wonder if they can appeal it or something

how sad.

Message edited 2/2/2011 5:48:37 PM.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

IMO I do think that lateness could be held against them. The school is probably thinking something along the lines of previous behavior predicting future behavior. They don't want to accept someone to a competitive school who is going to come late. I'm so sorry for your niece. I took the high school catholic school exam (back in the day) and I know the test is hard and if she made it into a good school, she must be a smarty-pants. I think it's worth it for her parents to speak up and say something to her school along the lines of- "Why weren't we notified that tardiness was going to be a part of the criteria?" Perhaps it would have swayed them. It also couldn't hurt to have someone (teacher, principal) writing a letter of recommendation. Good luck to your niece. That is a tough situation.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

Re: spinoff...should a child's lateness to school be held against them.

Posted by Ophelia

Posted by Bridex100

I see a lot of young kids take public transportation to school in the city.

I think the wealthiest people have car service and drivers for their kids. The next group has a nanny accompanying the child on the public transportation. Then there are the kids who just take public transportation on their own.

I know high school (age 14) is different from middle school but I know tons of kids who traveled from the boroughs to attend Stuy in Manhattan. I think it is somewhat common in the city.

Personally I would not feel comfortable with this for my child. That is one of the reasons we plan to move out of the city and back to the suburbs.

oh yes. high school is a different animal and she knows she will be taking public transport. they plan on doing that a lot in the summer. doing the route to whatever school she chooses, etc.

I took the A train when I started high school. the F to the A. I was 13 or 14. and an "old" 13. my niece was a young eleven last year. she would never have been ready for that.

and I very rarely see kids younger than high school age on the subway alone, and I take it every day.

I appreciate the "general" aspect of this conversation, but since I am taling specifically about my niece..the kind of kid she is and what she can and cannot handle/be comfortable with...it wouldn't happen.

besides, the area and the stations that she would be occupying are on the cusp of a really nice and really not so nice area.

I realize that again I am speaking in specifics and people are giving there general opinions so it may seem a bit contentious on my part. not really my intention but I am emotionally invested in my girl.

Message edited 2/2/2011 8:12:22 PM.