Stupid Award

[uforgot]

I agree about not coming to school sick, but then you have the flip side. The student who stays home at the least sign of discomfort, real or imagined. These kids miss at least 1 day a week and it's really a lot of fun gathering up their homework (that chances are they aren't going to do at home anyway) and then grading their assignments that are late. We also have kids missing because they are babysitting (excuse me, but this is the PARENT'S responsibility), hair appointments, hunting, etc. I had a student (with an attendance problem) miss because the whole family went with his grandmother when she had her colonoscopy. We have gone to not even regarding absences as excused or unexcused because as the administration says "We are not going to penalize the kids that tell the truth". Our district has implemented an attendance policy on the number of days a student can miss in order to cut down on absenteeism. We also have a policy that if you have a fever or the nurse deems you sick, you have to go home. You don't get a choice. I have sent kids to the nurse that I don't think should be around others, and they are sent home, but if the parents can't be reached, they spend the day with the nurse.

Oh, my, thanks for letting me get this off my chest! I realize I drifted a bit from the original "don't go to work sick" remarks.

Edit: Oh, by the way, I'm one of those kids who got perfect attendance many times in school. No, I didn't go sick, it just so happens that I have had a total of about 3 colds in my life, and the flu once. This year for the flu. When my doctor wanted to know why I didn't get a flu shot at 53, I remarked, "Why should I, I've never had the flu before!". She replied "Oh, yeah, good point".