I asked the school secretary if I needed to send in a copy of the subpoenas to have their absences excused. She asked me when they would be out and I said the trial is the week of such and such. She said they would need a separate sheet for each child and then said it would have to come from the courts. No problem. Then she said they can't be excused for that week except on the day they testify. I explained it was out of town, there were many kids that would be required to be there, and that I can't promise they wouldn't waste a day out of the week out of school but not testifying b/c they had to wait or got postponed until the next day. We all have to be available until we testify at a moments notice. She wouldn't budge, they will not be excused.
In my county, if one of my children miss more than 10 days for any reason, excused or not, I can be fined and/or jailed. I am sure you are thinking, what child misses 10 days of school, right? Mine do. I take all my elementary school kids to AT every week. We try to do it in the afternoon so when I check them out, they are still counted as present. It doesn't always work that way. If you average out the sick days, each child usually misses a few days in a year. Then you throw this trial in and preparing for the trial is a possible 6 days alone. I am SO going to jail. Will you all picket the jail? At least send me some mail or add money to my books so I can pretend it is a vacation. Wait a minute, this is sounding better and better. I will have to rethink this whole prison thing....Anybody else wanna join me there?
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I'll join you. I'm really starting to think that some time in jail would be more fun than living at home with my kid.
Go above the secretary to the principal or even to the Superintendent...or to your school board.
That's worse than my cousins school! They have a "no more than 3 days of illness" policy, and last year, he had the flu in winter, which used up his 3 days. Last summer, he had a stomach bug, and so my aunt thought "Right, he's throwing up, and other things, that's gotta be ok" She rung up, and they said "no, he's got to come in"
"But he's throwing up"
"Well, then we'll send him home"
"And that will be excused, so I won't get into trouble?"
"No, he's had three days, we'll send him home, but we won't excuse him."
Sometimes, it's like banging your head on a brick wall! I hope everything works out ok for you with the school, stress from them is the last thing you need
Man...if you get a room alone let me know because I'll be moving to your state and purposely having the kids miss 10 days...consecutively so that I do't go in for all of them but for each one of them...it'd be heavely
This woman is nuts. There is no way that they won't excuse the children's absence.
I often think that the hospital would offer a great vacation. I have yet to develop an illness that isn't too bad but will land me in the hospital. I'll keep working on it!
I think it's ridiculous that the school secretary has all this power. I would go to the superintendent of schools and explain this out-of-the ordinary situation. BTW, I work in a school and I missed more than 10 days of school last year. Yikes, that's a small amount of allowable absences. Good Luck!
Go above her head.
Is this the SAME school secretary?
Take it to the board of education. Just like jury duty, they're likely required to make exceptions to the rule. The secretary is in the wrong.
You people crack me up. I'll keep you updated on the vacation plans. ;)
Of course it was the same secretary! LOL Have I mentioned she talks to the kids in a baby voice? In the South it is common to be called terms of endearment by strangers and a few ladies lay it on thick like this one. SHe is all, "Sweetie Pie", "Darling", "Honey Bunches", "Baby", and "Cutie" at the beginning and end of every sentence. It is way too thick. I was surprised she was allowed to talk like that to them considering it encourages baby talk in speech delayed children. I've got to pick my battles at this point.
Wow, you should move to Maine. As long as I call the school and let them know the kids are not coming, (sick, doctors appts, etc) it's excused. they can miss 25 days a year and it's still excused....as long as I call.
That rule is a crock....especially in your case where the children have been subpoenaed. There had to be an exception to the rule.
She's wrong. You and your kids are subpoenaed. Mine read "here to stay and abide until dismissed by this court." Exactly what are you supposed to do? The law is the law. School is generally and education code or administrative code.
But your subpoena trumps her attitude and raises her a finger!
Your school secretary sounds like a total cow. Sorry, but she does. Is there a head of guidance you can go to in the school, or a district official or something. Clearly you and the kids need to be there from the start of the trial. Everybody knows that testimonies are not predictable in timeframe. How can you simply wait to be called to testify, before you travel? Does she think that all your kids will testify on the same day? Or does she expect them to travel back individually on public transport and stay home alone to attend school?!
Can your therapists excuse them from the start of the trial for emotional reasons and then the court excuse them on their days of attendance? What on earth is motivating this woman;s attitude to you - she seems a total fruit loop! From everything you've said about her so far it sounds like she is always being deliberately obstructive.
I almost wish for a max of 10 absences policy (though I'd want some sensible discretion applied to exceptions like this!), in my area they've gotten rid of all attendance requirements for students. The teachers have a minimum number of hours that they must teach, but, if a student is registered and shows up occasionally, then we are encouraged to make sure they pass.
That's whack. Adults who are called for jury duty are expected to sit there in the courthouse until they're either needed or dismissed; why would it be any different for kids who are testifying in a trial? There's got to be someone higher up who has good sense and can make an exception.
Oh come on. Aren't you just doing this so you can be a test case for this stupid policy? Seriously, show them the supoena and threaten legal action. You've got to let them know whose boss.
I promise there is no way I am going to sit by and let this go. I will make sure they are excused even if I have to take it to the top. LOL Have I ever given the impression that I am someone that let's people tell me what to do? If so, forgive me, it was a misunderstanding. I am quite vocal about the needs of my children and their needs. DOn't worry, I will kick some school butt, if need be. I am sure that once I speak to someone that has the authority to make decisions, they will make the right ones.
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