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

Absolutely YES!

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

As badly as I feel about it, yes, I do think it should be....not to punish her (which, unfortunately it does) but to send a message to the parents that lateness is unacceptable.
I'm an 8th grade teacher, and in my district, parents are notorious for taking vacations during the school year, extending school vacations for a few days on their vacations, etc. We have a policy that if a student misses an assignment for an absence like that, they are not allowed to make up the assignment...in face, they are to get a zero for it.
It really bothers me to do it though....because the parents choose the vacations, not the 8th graders, but the parents have to learn that school is important, and vacations should not regularly be planned when school is in session.

It's one of my least favorite parts of being a teacher....when the child suffers because of a parent's decision.

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

This is the way I see it: if the admissions board had one seat and two applicants who were both honor students with lots of awards and extracurricular activities and high test scores, it would only be fair to take the kid with the better (or perhaps perfect) attendance.

I'm thinking the parents of a kid with a similar academic record as your niece but with perfect attendance would probably be really upset if their kid was rejected and one with a poor record of punctuality was accepted.

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

As a teacher in a high school... a student who is excessively late should be held accountable - regardless of whose fault it is. If it's the student's fault, s/he needs to get on the ball and get themselves to class on time. If it's the child's parents' fault then the same applies. However, in the latter, I feel more for the kid - bc the parents should def be more responsible (they are teaching their child responsibility and punctuality after all)

There is nothing more difficult than having to stop your lesson bc a student walks in late - regularly. You stop your lesson, have to get the kid in order, and then start up again.

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.

Yes, I do think a child's lateness should be held against them. And quite frankly, I feel that it is RIDICULOUS for the parent of your neice to send a message to their daughter that it is OK to not go to school on time. Kudos for your neice for being a good student, but what kind of message is that putting out to their child. In addition, if a school accepts that, what kind of message is the school putting out there. I teach in a Junior/senior high school and several of the 7th and 8th graders in our school receive detentions/mandatory interventions etc. for latenesses. I am actually shocked that the school that the child is in NOW accepts this.

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

I feel really bad for your niece too, but if I was a school and I had two students with the same high grades and the same resume of extra-curriculars, and one had excessive tardies or absences I would pick the kid with a clean attendance record in a heartbeat...

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

I think it is crazy that the highschool rejected her b/c of tardiness when her grades and extra curriclars were great, and she doesn't drive herself to school...that is what is wrong with our educational system...clearly the lateness wasn't affecting her academically...the school should have accepted her and warned her that lateness will not be tolerated!

Someone with poorer grades & perfect attendance prob got accepted instead & that is just a shame!

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

Posted by Palebride

As badly as I feel about it, yes, I do think it should be....not to punish her (which, unfortunately it does) but to send a message to the parents that lateness is unacceptable.
I'm an 8th grade teacher, and in my district, parents are notorious for taking vacations during the school year, extending school vacations for a few days on their vacations, etc. We have a policy that if a student misses an assignment for an absence like that, they are not allowed to make up the assignment...in face, they are to get a zero for it.
It really bothers me to do it though....because the parents choose the vacations, not the 8th graders, but the parents have to learn that school is important, and vacations should not regularly be planned when school is in session.

It's one of my least favorite parts of being a teacher....when the child suffers because of a parent's decision.

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

Message edited 2/3/2011 10:04:48 PM.

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

I've not read this whole thread, BUT here in my area we get fined by the local education authority if we take our kids out of school too much or if they are late regularly. Some parents even go to prison...

I'm taking Noah out of school next week to visit my family in Florida, but I have to fill out a form and speak to the Headteacher about it. She approved it...thank goodness.

Message edited 2/3/2011 5:20:44 AM.

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

I really do feel bad for you niece. I think that when the school noticed that her tardiness was becoming an issue, they should have addressed it with the parents (and explained the potential consequences, such as not getting into a particular HS).

It's tough though, bc the school system in NYC is so competitive. Many kids don't go to their "home" district----they apply to get into "better" schools. Because of the competition, I think schools do need to look at every area of an applicant's history, including attendance. Let's say 30 kids are applying for 1 spot. Most of them probably have similar grades, extracurricular activities, etc. How do you choose? You have to start looking at other things, like attendance.

I still feel bad for your niece.

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

thanks for your comments everyone.

I feel like I need to say again, she has NO problem with the school she is currently attending. she is not on any type of attendance notice or attendance watch.

she had some tardy's and the school she was APPLYING to said it was excessive.

who knows how many that is.

she's not late all the time. she's certainly not late every day or every week. I just wanted to make this clear b/c her actual situation is being misunderstood or misinterpreted, which is probably my fault.

she did get in to some really great catholic schools and is waited to here back from NYC specialized and public before making a final decision.

thanks for weighing in. like I said, if nothing else I learned how my actions (or inactions) can affect my son before he is of age to really take control over it.

thanks!

Message edited 2/3/2011 9:20:51 AM.

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

With all that is wrong with the public education system (especially in the city, I have family members who teach there, and I grew up there, and the BOE is a MESS), I can not believe that people actually waste time tracking down parents who want to take their children on vacation. It is reasons like this that I strongly consider homeschooling my child.

Im not talking about people who NEVER send their children to school, Im talking about taking my child out for 1 week for a vacation.

Also, I have NEVER heard of any job or even college checking an elementary school attendance record, Highschool, absolutely, but even then, 1 week off is not going to make or break them if their grades are good.

In my area(Very good LI school district), people take their children out for vaca when it is convenient for them, it angers the school, but parents pay A LOT of tax dollars and don't really care what the school says...and NOBODY has wound up in jail for this.

Cops and judges have real criminals to worry about, not parents who want to take their kids to Disney!

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.

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.

I do understand what you are saying. I guess you just really have to know your child and what they can handle. I just don't like the idea that the school can try to tell me that I cant go on vacation on a week when my husband was able to get off, but the school is not off. Its not like I plan to go away 5 times during the school year, and Im not expecting the school to condone the absence, but at least acknowledge that Im the parent, and I have the right to take my child on vacation.

I hear so many horror stories about public school, even in the best neighborhoods, I guess it just surprised me that this was such a hot issue, when there is so much more that is wrong. In my opinion, more families need to spend time with their children doing things as a family,and not relying on schools to teach values!

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 think since there is no way for the school to know or determine if the tardiness is caused by the parents or the child it should fall on the child. at a certain age, kids have to be held responsible and take responsibility.

My dad used to walk us to school until I was 10 years old. I was always late b/c my dad was always late. When I was 10 I asked if I could walk on my own b/c I didn't want to be late anymore or get in trouble. They let me try it out and it worked.

When I had to walk to middle school with my sister (who again was ALWAYS late) I'd have tantrums because I didn't want to be late and get detention. I told my mom that I don't want to get in trouble for my sister and if she isn't ready on time I'm leaving without her. (Which meant either my sis would have to walk alone or my dad/mom would have had to walk her). So they made SURE she was on time for me.

She can speak up but in the end the school didn't care WHY we were late.

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

In my opinion...its not worth it to fly to Disney for 3 days. My husband & coworkers pick vaca based on seniority, and EVERYONE wants off the weeks the kids have off, and these are usually taken by the time it is his turn to pick!

Its great if you & your husband are able to take off when your kids are off, but this is not the case for everyone!

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