The Schools Take On Parenting

To the Editor:

As a responsible parent I wrongly assumed that it was my decision as to when and for what reasons my children missed school.

Obviously, if they were sick they stayed home. A rare “mental health” day, or possibly a day around the holidays for a trip into the city or to visit family. Maybe letting them sleep an extra hour if they were up coughing most of the night and bringing them in late.

This last scenario happened to me and I was shocked and outraged when I was told that any classes missed would be considered a “cut.” Since when is it the schools’ job to parent for me? It is not the responsibility or the right of the school to make that decision. What other parental duties would the school like to take over for me? This is about parental rights, or the lack thereof. If there are parents allowing their children to miss excessive days of school for dubious reasons then that is between the school and that family.

So a warning to parents... don’t think that you are doing the honest, responsible thing by telling the truth. If you are planning a trip or a weekday outing make sure your child is “sick.”

Janet McKeown

10 Hillcrest Drive, Newtown                                  November 9, 2010