Originally Posted By DAR <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_obama_return_to_washington" target="_blank">http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_...shington</a> No doubt the President knows that but just reading this article the writer and the headline make it seem as if the President is not to be disturbed while on vacation.
Originally Posted By Labuda O M G ! The first kids might have missed a day of school due to family time! What a travesty! How DARE their parents deny them an education! HEATHENS, I say, heathens!
Originally Posted By DAR Labuda I'll speak to you since I don't know who wrote the second post. The headline read as if it was somehow offensive to have the President interrupted on his vacation by real world events. Obama knows very well that he's not going to get a true vacation until he's out of office. As for the kids missing school, I have a lot of friends and family who are in the teaching profession. One of their biggest pet peeves which includes both teachers and students alike is you get a week off for Easter, nearly two weeks for Christmas and a whole summer off and yet they still can't get back in time.
Originally Posted By Labuda Well, just keep in mind that while Yahoo news may be irked, I'm sure the President won't be bitching about it. As for taking kids out of school - I get where your friends are coming from, but I know that my nephew just got back from utah and visiting his mother today, and I don't see it as being a big deal. Especially since I know that when I was a kid, we never did much leading up to ro right after a big holiday. It's just not done, or at least wasn't in NISD.
Originally Posted By Sara Tonin I think that whole 'teacher's bemoaning kids who miss school for family functions' is just for the less than brilliant children...most kids can make up a day or so of work without strain.
Originally Posted By Sara Tonin There are other lessons to be learned...and they aren't always in the school room.
Originally Posted By Princessjenn5795 This year we took our kids out of school for a week for our DL vacation. We got packets of all the work they would miss while they were gone and they did it on the airplane and in the hotel room for the 1/2 hour before leaving for the park in the morning. They really did not miss much. Sometimes family plans don't coincide with the school calendar. As long as you are willing to help your kids get caught up with their lessons it is really not that big of a deal. Especially in elementary school.
Originally Posted By mele <<One of their biggest pet peeves which includes both teachers and students alike is you get a week off for Easter, nearly two weeks for Christmas and a whole summer off and yet they still can't get back in time.>> You know what one of my biggest pet peeves is? Other people thinking they know what's best for my children. I would think teachers would be worried about bigger issues concerning the state of classrooms in our country but maybe not. Seems pretty small-minded to be anyone's biggest pet peeve. C'mon DAR, this seems even pettier than a topic about teleprompters.
Originally Posted By DAR It's not really petty for a teacher to want all of his or her students in their class as often as possible.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones I agree with DAR. This idea that you can miss school for something as frivolous as a trip to Disneyland rubs off on kids and taints their productivity as adults. I saw this a lot in college. Students would ask the professor for special concessions, like an extension on their term paper due date because "my family is going to Hawaii" (actual quote). That BS may fly in middle school, but in college the professor will say, "Too bad."
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones As an adult, I'll think to myself, mommy didn't have a problem taking us to Disneyland and missing a day of class. I'll lie to my employer and call in sick. As an adult, I'll think to myself, mommy didn't have a problem extending winter break a week to spend more time in Hawaii. I'll just lie to my employer and call in sick when I need an extra week off. Unfortunately, mommy isn't your employer.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder Moreover, a practical aspect is that schools receive funding based upon attendance. With school budgets as tight as they are, every little bit helps. There's an expectation that families are to do their vacation planning around the school schedule. For schools that aren't on the traditional September through June schedule that can be tough, but just the same, it isn't as if families don't know when school is in session.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper I have not taken my child out of school for a family function but I'm not opposed to the idea given certain criteria. Namely, the child is performing well, it is discussed with the teacher, and work is done in absence. I don't think one day or even a week of missed school is going to harm the kids into adulthood. Heck, on the day before Christmas Break the kids (1st graders) watched movies all day. And, I certainly remember pretty useless days at school myself. If you want to make the most of a Walt Disney World Vacation then you almost have to take the kids out of school for a week. My mom was up with a couple of her step grandkids the first week of December and there was hardly any lines. The kids, who don't visit but once in a blue moon, had the run of the place. Try taking those kids during Christmas Break, Spring Break, or...God forbid, Summer Break (with the heat, humidity AND crowds) and it will be a far less pleasant experience. As for the President trying to take a vacation...more power to him. Whether or not I like all of his policies...the guy has had a pretty busy first year in office and I don't think it is too much to ask for him to try and get a little family time in. I didn't object to Bush spending a month at the ranch and I'm not going to object to Obama going to Hawaii or anywhere else he might choose to go.
Originally Posted By mele <<As an adult, I'll think to myself, mommy didn't have a problem taking us to Disneyland and missing a day of class. I'll lie to my employer and call in sick. >> Then your mommy forgot to give you a few other parental lessons. Taking a vacation is not the same as lying to your employer about being sick.
Originally Posted By Mr X I think people should feel free to lie to their employers as a matter of course, if it's in their best interests. After all, employers are happy to do so to us whenever it suits them. Right? Screw them. Call sick if you want. Work as little as possible. Don't give them anything but the minimum required to retain the position. That's my take (which I'll be HAPPY to rescind as soon as I see some evidence of morality or loyalty from corporate America towards their employees...THEN we can happily talk ethics as much as anyone wants to, and I'll be all on board with "company loyalty" and "an honest days work for an honest days pay" and all that crap).
Originally Posted By ecdc >>I have not taken my child out of school for a family function but I'm not opposed to the idea given certain criteria. Namely, the child is performing well, it is discussed with the teacher, and work is done in absence.<< Bingo. I take my kids out for our Disneyland trips. We plan ahead, talk to their teacher, get any homework ahead of time, get the rest after we get back. I think it's wrong-headed to assume it's a bad lesson for kids. I think it teaches that if you take time off, you need to take care of all your responsibilities. My wife and I have a good enough relationship with our children's teachers that they were very supportive of this last trip and understanding. We both volunteer in the school and stay in contact with them. Sure, I think a student who just disappears or just doesn't show up is a problem. But I think teaching children that their lives aren't their own, and are to be lived entirely on someone else's schedule, is an equally bad lesson. Drawing a line from "missed school in first grade" to "slacks off in college" is too simplistic.
Originally Posted By DAR Many of the teachers I know don't object to a student being pulled for a week that school is in session. They would prefer that a vacation is scheduled during non-school time but sometimes that doesn't happen. What I can see them objecting to and rightfully so is when kids get time off over Christmas, Easter and the summer and their parents can't get them back in time.
