I don't often get ranty on this site (although I am told that I should), but there is something on my mind and I can't believe that I am the only one fed up with the situation.
A little background.....
We decided to take our children out of school 1 day early for Thanksgiving break this year in order to go visit family in Connecticut. We don't often get together with Brads entire side of the family so to us, this was important enough to take a day off of school (especially since Brads father had passed away recently).
Of course, this being the digital age, I got an email from both the middle and elementary school letting me know that my children were absent (I forgot to call them in as absent - no biggie) and that I could reply to the emails and that would serve as an excuse. I replied to both of the emails before Thanksgiving break was over saying that we were in CT visiting family and that is why my children were absent.
On Monday, when school was back in session, I got an email from Thomas' school letting me know that a family trip was not an acceptable absence and that I would need to fill out a form justifying that us hanging out with family was an "educational trip" in order for it to be an excused absence. (Interestingly, I got no such email from my younger children's school)
Now - I will admit to stretching the truth every once in a while, but there is just no way that I can say that my daughter teaching my nephews how to make a Triple Single on a Rainbow Loom or my boys playing GTA 5 with their cousins is an "educational trip".
And so I emailed back to the school that I wasn't going to lie - the trip was what it was and I was willing to have my son have an unexcused absence instead of me lying about the reason for the trip.
I immediately got back an email saying that I didn't need to lie - I just needed to rephrase it.
Let me say right now that I absolutely ADORE every teacher my children have ever had at their school (I seriously mean that - we have amazingly committed teachers and it is a fabulous school district)...and every administrator that I have dealt with has been wonderful. It's not the PEOPLE - It's the SYSTEM.
And so, to not make too many waves, I filled out a 2-page form saying that my son was taken out of school in order to have a "multi-generational experience in which family history was discussed and evaluated" (I don't remember if that was the exact words, but that was the sentiment.. I specifically remember the "multi-generational experience BS"). NOW it was an excused absence.
Are you kidding me?
Fast forward to the present time. Brad and I want to take our 3 children to Washington DC for the weekend. I have already contacted our U.S. Senator for passes for a Capital tour as well as a White House Tour (we probably won't get the White House Tour as we made the request "late", but I am hoping...).
But the other day I realized that the school may not count it as an excused absence.
Why? Because despite the fact that a guided tour of our Legislative Branch AND Executive Branch of government should be considered the ultimate "educational trip", our plans coincide with state-mandated testing.
Our school district has said on their website and in emails "Please note that educational trips during the testing windows will not be approved."
Well - too bad. I may or may not be taking my children out of school on a Friday that includes PSSA testing and that is MY choice. If that means that they get an unexcused absence, that is fine with me. (I am also considering sending the kids to school in the morning and picking them up as soon as the testing it done - as long as we can pick them up by 11:00am... or I might just choose to opt my children out of the testing. Just trying to decide if this is the hill on which I wish to die)
These are tests that have no affect on the grades of my children. These are tests that are only important to school funding. As much as I am an advocate for teachers (the ONLY reason that I renew Thomas' Medical Assistance each year is because it allows the school district to bill the state for his Autism Support program), I am the one who gets to decide if my child should be out of school.
And so, on a soon-to-be Friday, my children might be walking around the Mall in Washington DC, getting a guided tour of the Capital (and hopefully of the White House), visiting all the museums in the Smithsonian and taking in the beauty of the Cherry Blossoms.
But because of timing, it won't be an excused absence.
And I don't care.
Because if you put the 3 hours that morning up against each other, my children will learn FAR more at the National Air & Space Museum or touring the Capital or the White House than they will sitting at a desk stressing out over standardized tests.
And isn't learning more important than test scores?
Ruth
Our educational system is wonderful. I lived in a small town in PA, a couple of years ago, we had a little scandal. The principal was caught sending derogatory texts about a special education student during a meeting about that student to another person in the meeting. The school board fought to keep in in his position but after a year of legal ramblings, he "resigned". I have a child in special education because of a learning disability. Last week, one of his special needs teacher made a comment to another student in front of my son that my son who is a senior will graduate in four years. Needless to say, the teacher received a very educational email from me.
Mindi Cherry
Yikes! That is a serious problem with the staff! We have been really lucky because I do mean it when I say that every teacher that my children have ever had in our schools (right now I have a 2nd, 5th & 7th grader) has been wonderful.
My problem is not with the people - it's the system!
carrie
Wow. I'm glad the school has a policy in place for the students who do not have supportive networks at home to get them to school, but that seems a little brash. We are encouraged to make the school aware when our kids will miss for vacation or if they are out for multiple days. My son missed a week of school due to a stomach bug this year and I had to keep emailing the teacher and she kept putting work for him in the office!
Jennifer @Making Our Life Matter
This is a whole crazy situation. We are facing the same issue if school is extended anymore because of snow. As it is, the kids are going to the Thursday before we leave for vacation(originally the were supposed to be done 9 days before that). If they lose anymore days, well... We are going anyway. Excused or not.
Heather
I am going to strongly consider opting out when my boys get to school. I see too many kids too stressed about testing.
Elizabeth Naidoo
I live in Pa and pulled my kids out of school for a week to go to Disney World, I just couldn't do another Polar Vortex. I have four children one who couldn't even go because he's graduating this year and is applying to college. Time is fleeting so if I have an opportunity to make a lifetime memory with my children I'm going to take it, plus you never know if something might happen to the people we love. I've learned taking your kids out of school for a few days isn't going to stop them from getting into college. Kids can usually make the work up when they return too. On a side note Disney World is educational, they have Epcot and the ride "It's A Small World", that has to be able to pass for Geography, Right?
Rachel
These are the reasons that we are strongly considering homeschooling when our kids reach that point. Real learning is put on the back burner to stuff pointless information into kids so they can take tests that don't have anything to do with them. It's not the schools' faults, it's the bizarre policies now. Life experience is just as important as education - it needs to be a balance.
Dianne
As a retired teacher, I say...you go girl. The school gets koodoes for having perfect attendance during standardized testing which equates to something else, what ever that state offers. That was always the most stressful week for teachers and students. It is a very small snapshot in time of a child. Unfortunately, it is the only way a state can judge whether a district, school, teacher is doing their job. Sad. The results didn't even get there until the beginning of the next year. Don't even think twice about it.
Briana
Yep. My kids and my decisions. I don't abuse the system but YES, I also took my kids out for several days this year for a educational trip to Washington DC that coincided with the wedding of a relative. I guarantee they learned more in those few days then they would have in a traditional educational environment. Our kids would be perfect attendees if we never took them out of school! 🙂
I've learned the system over the years at our school because we always take 1-2 days off before spring break too..basically it is a one pager with a bunch of damn nosey questions (IMO) about what you are doing and who you are doing it with and has to be "approved." It has to be turned in about 2 weeks ahead of time.
Jenny
I would not worry about it. I hate the system. You can not tell me just because a kid can pass a test that he knows the material. I hate standard testing. The government needs to get out of the education business. I mean funding and testing. You can tell what school districts are good by there outcomes. I would go to DC and have fun. Then deal with the situation when you get back. Our school district has a rule about vacations during test week and making them unexcused absents but if that is the only week my husband and I could take a vacation, I would not think twice about taking my kids out of school!!!
Madelyne
We lived in New York and faced the same issue this year , even when calling the kids in sick (I have 3). Our district is enforcing NY state law . The school apparently decides what is an exussed or unexussed absence. Oh excuse me , the person answering the phone in the attendance office.