difficult child - school

[Kjs]

The end of February there were parent-teacher conference at difficult child's middle school. This is mid-quarter.

difficult child was out sick the week of Feb. 10th. He had temp. of 104. I did take him to the doctor. Ofcourse the mid-quarter grades were due the end of that week.
Principal tells me his mid-quarter report card is not his true grade, as those were due in the week he was sick and do not reflect the work he has made up. Ok. i'm fine.

husband, myself and difficult child go to first to gym teacher. (I never met her before. difficult child complains about her). Gym teacher says he has an F. difficult child freaks out. I ask why. She shows me the grade book. Each day he was absent he received a zero/F. (5 days of gym). I ask here how he can get a zero/F when he was sick. I am told he did not participate in class, therefore he gets a zero - F. We had words and she told me to take it up with the principal. I marched right on down there. She will check on it.
Go to next teacher - SAME thing. only 4 big assignments. Last one was video/test. He was sick. F. march right back to principal. she will check on it.
Other classes could of been better but were ok.
French he missed a quiz and a test to be made up.
Mean while husband never said a single word to any one of the teachers.

Principal gets back to me about one of the video. Teacher will have him do a different assignment to make up the work.
Gym..no word.

After three weeks I contact principal again. Told her I took difficult child to the doctor that week and I will get a slip if needed. Later she replies that she had those absences changed to "medical leave". ??

I checked the district website, and according to the district grading policy it states:
Lower grades may not be given for late work due to excused absences, suspension or truancy, unless the work is submitted later than agreed upon deadlines.

French has yet to be made up. Teacher had jury duty for two weeks, then was out sick for a week.

Today is the day he is suppose to spend his lunch in there to re do this.
Spring break begins tomorrow after school. Quarter ends the week they get back. Guess what. He is sick! Came home yesterday at noon. 100 temp, stomach flu. Still has temp and feeling bad today.

Should I - send an email to the gym teacher? I do not want him to get a zero / F for the past two days. or should I just speak to the principal?
they cannot give him a zero / F when he is sick. They must provide make-up work or excuse him. Gym teacher refused to do that last time.
I do not know how to handle this.

 

[Wiped Out]

Kjs-How frustrating!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would e-mail the gym teacher with a cc to the principal!

 

[smallworld]

This is what I would do: Get a note from your doctor stating he is sick and excusing him from school. Then present the note, with a copy of the SD's absence policy, to the principal. Add your own letter stating that you expect this policy to apply to all of difficult child's classes.

 

[crazymama30]

I would do what smallworld suggests, but give a copy to the principal and the pe teacher.

 

[Big Bad Kitty]

Yes, a copy of the policy and a copy of the doctor's note to the principal AND the PE teacher. Please refrain from including explosives in the note to the PE teacher.

It really stinks to high heaven that YOU have to do all this leg work. But your warrior armor is showing!

 

[Marguerite]

Also be prepared to go higher, if nothing happens. The principal has a boss somewhere. If it's a state school, there are district authorities. If rules are being broken, you can take it up with those who administer and set the rules.

Sometimes teachers are unaware that there are rules; or they feel the rules are merely guidelines. Sometimes they know about the rules but don't value them because they think those rules are silly. Sometimes they try to ride roughshod over them (and students they don't like) because as teachers, they have power and they can - this last group should have been winnowed out in teacher training, but unfortunately never are.

Give them the benefit of the doubt, do make sure you give the principal plenty of time to realise you are aware of the rules and expect them to be complied with. But if they don't, and you do nothing, they will know they can keep making it up as they go along and you will meekly put up with it.

Good luck! Persevere.

Marg

 

[BusynMember]

I'd take it up with Superintendent, letter in hand. You don't need to waste time getting the runaround and your child doesn't need that kind of angst. If the Super does nothing, I'd contact the Dept. of Public Education in your state. I'm sure this is against the rules of the state.
That gym teacher should be fired. What a bad attitude!

 

[looking4hope]

Go to your state's Dept. of Ed. Web site to see what the law says. In CA, I have to let students who have excused absences make up the work within a reasonable amount of time (I give them one day for every day of absence before I dock them with late penalties). Work for unexcused absences (suspensions, truancy, etc.) does not have to be accepted, although I typically allow my students to do it (most do not in those circumstances). It would look better if you reminded the principal and the assistant superintendent about the state's policies, because they would supercede the district's policy.

 

[susiestar]

I would write the letter and send it to the teachers it applies to, to the principal, to the Dir of Special Education Services, to the assistant superintendent and to the superintendent. Make them ALL aware that this is going on.

Being me, I would probably contact other parents, esp if I knew their kids were out sick, and make them aware of this.

If it is being done to your son, it is being done to many. And this flu is affecting a large number of people.