To Clear It Up

There was some confusion yesterday on my post, so I'm going to try to clear it up.

(The original post is here, for all you forget faithful readers.)

Our law in Louisiana changed this past summer. It went from reasonable to absurd very quietly. No one that I know of heard of this even being considered in the state legislature. But they actually made it illegal to have unexcused absences/tardies/checkouts from school.

We got a notification on the first day of school. I should point out, however, that absolutely NO ONE that I know in the entire rest of the state (and I know a bunch in a different places) got any sort of notice, and in fact, until I asked them about it, all had never even heard of the change!

Basically, here, at three tardies/checkout/absences we're supposed to have a warning meeting and sign a letter. Then at five, you get fined and at ten you get a bigger fine and community service or jail time. I'm at eleven.

I read the wording of the original law, which was that schools had the responsibility to document those who were...being irresponsible, and they turned them in on a case by case. I KNOW the whole argument about it being discrimination if every isn't subjected to the same guidelines. But we are all subjected, and if my children's education isn't suffering, then I, as a parent, should have the right to, say, allow them a day home of rest if they need one.

With that said, my kids do miss school some. Not entire days--never entire days, though. Two kids are ADD and they require dr. appts at least every three months. And with my schedule/life, the stress it puts on us to do the appts. after school, with one parent and four kids waiting on a dr. who will always be behind at that time of the day, it's very reasonable to check the kids out and then back in when they have to do. Unfortunately for Jacob, we've been trying to get his med. right since the beginning of Oct, so he's had an appt. every month since then.

Throw on top of that one unnecessary checkout he had to go to Houston for Halloween weekend, two checkouts for pretending to be sick (and one check in for bringing his bum right back to school the second time), and one checkout for the day he "trotted" in his pants, and the child's annoying habit of eating breakfast at home and then eating again at school while knowing he doesn't have time to, and I'm over my 10 for the semester.

It should be noted that last six weeks, Ashley had perfect attendance, and the two (or three?) before that Christopher had it. It is not my problem if Jacob is dropped off at school in plenty of time to walk to his classroom before the tardy bell rings, and he instead goes to the cafeteria where they actually serve him knowing the tardy bell is going to ring in three minutes!

And then the office informs me that yes, those DO count! But yet they don't want me walking him to his classroom every morning? Ha. Ha.

So the letter they sent was my warning letter, which was seriously late. I haven't signed it yet, b/c I want it noted before it goes into an official file what's been going on here. This is in no way my fault, and in every way the school's fault. I don't pay for him to eat breakfast up front, but they sure don't have a problem sending me a bill for it!

I'm pretty perturbed by this whole thing...and I did inform Jacob that if I end up in stripes picking up trash on the side of the highway, his little butt will be right there too. It's only fair!