Is this Truancy?

[Anonymous]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/in-dc-a-12-year-old-piano-prodigy-is-treated-as-a-truant-instead-of-a-star-student/2014/09/08/58962746-3727-11e4-bdfb-de4104544a37_story.html

Column in post today about a musical prodigy who misses school for international piano competitions. her parents finally took her out of Deal since she was labled a truant for missing more than 10 days. I know school is important but I think if the parents 1) have an excuse (not relisha rudds nut mom) 2) commit to making sure the student finishes all the work on time during the absence-then they should use more disretion.
the problem are the kids are aren't going to school for no other reason than the parents don't care or have no idea what the heck the kids are doing during the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/in-dc-a-12-year-old-piano-prodigy-is-treated-as-a-truant-instead-of-a-star-student/2014/09/08/58962746-3727-11e4-bdfb-de4104544a37_story.html

Column in post today about a musical prodigy who misses school for international piano competitions. her parents finally took her out of Deal since she was labled a truant for missing more than 10 days. I know school is important but I think if the parents 1) have an excuse (not relisha rudds nut mom) 2) commit to making sure the student finishes all the work on time during the absence-then they should use more disretion.
the problem are the kids are aren't going to school for no other reason than the parents don't care or have no idea what the heck the kids are doing during the day.

You are absolutely right.

The problem is that DC is still recovering from its crack-smoking bad old days. So we are left with some weird rules. This is one of them - there are others. There was another thread on this recently with some staunch defenders of this hardline rule, who cited Rudd.

It is yet another example of how hard it is to run a public education system with such incredible disparities.

[Anonymous]

I think part of the problem is that kids who do this stuff place a large burden on the teacher. They have to get assignments ahead of time, correct them when they turn them in, keep the kid up to speed etc.

Not sure its fair to as a school to do that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think part of the problem is that kids who do this stuff place a large burden on the teacher. They have to get assignments ahead of time, correct them when they turn them in, keep the kid up to speed etc.

Not sure its fair to as a school to do that.

I can understand that to a point. But this is a straight A kid already so clearly she has goood sutdy habits and school managment skills. And its not as if she is missing half the year. Again, I just think they should use more discretion. Isn't this a kid we want to keep in DCPS?

[Anonymous]

I do think DCPS could have made a different call to not sue the parents for truancy, but neither does it have a system to cope with an extraordinary talent that requires global public appearances. With this child's concert schedule, this was bound to happen.

I went to school in NYC where a number of my classmates left our school around 6th-7th grade to attend the Professional Children's School. At some point, extraordinary talent and a regular school schedule does not work.

I also went to high school with a piano prodigy and her parents told her that she had to finish high school and stay local. (It was NYC which helped.) She has had an amazing international career which took off once she finished.

There are many kids homeschooled in this area and the family needs to connect to those groups so their daughter continues to make new friends and they receive the help they need to educate her through high school level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think part of the problem is that kids who do this stuff place a large burden on the teacher. They have to get assignments ahead of time, correct them when they turn them in, keep the kid up to speed etc.

Not sure its fair to as a school to do that.

I can understand that to a point. But this is a straight A kid already so clearly she has goood sutdy habits and school managment skills. And its not as if she is missing half the year. Again, I just think they should use more discretion. Isn't this a kid we want to keep in DCPS?

Not at the cost of having to essentially create a unique school curriculum for them, no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think part of the problem is that kids who do this stuff place a large burden on the teacher. They have to get assignments ahead of time, correct them when they turn them in, keep the kid up to speed etc.

Not sure its fair to as a school to do that.

I can understand that to a point. But this is a straight A kid already so clearly she has goood sutdy habits and school managment skills. And its not as if she is missing half the year. Again, I just think they should use more discretion. Isn't this a kid we want to keep in DCPS?

Not at the cost of having to essentially create a unique school curriculum for them, no.

Yeah, I'd pay for it. I'd love for my kids to be around prodigies too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think part of the problem is that kids who do this stuff place a large burden on the teacher. They have to get assignments ahead of time, correct them when they turn them in, keep the kid up to speed etc.

Not sure its fair to as a school to do that.

I can understand that to a point. But this is a straight A kid already so clearly she has goood sutdy habits and school managment skills. And its not as if she is missing half the year. Again, I just think they should use more discretion. Isn't this a kid we want to keep in DCPS?

Not at the cost of having to essentially create a unique school curriculum for them, no.

I wonder if she or he could have applied for an IEP?

[Anonymous]

I had issues with DCPS over truancy when my child had mono....despite a doctor's note stating they recommended 2 weeks at home and then half day schedule for the following week. ..and oddly enough it was also at Deal. I think they are extra harsh with OOB kids. Might be something to do with losing autonomy if attendance or other numbers dip

[Anonymous]

Zero tolerance, zero exception policies look good on paper but are difficult to execute in real life. Schools and parents should be granted some level of flexibility for unique situations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had issues with DCPS over truancy when my child had mono....despite a doctor's note stating they recommended 2 weeks at home and then half day schedule for the following week. ..and oddly enough it was also at Deal. I think they are extra harsh with OOB kids. Might be something to do with losing autonomy if attendance or other numbers dip

This is an example of when they are being too inflexible. The OP's example is not the same - the kid is missing school in order to pursue another activity, on a constant basis.

[Anonymous]

It does beg the question what if this was an A-student at Deal who was a very talented rapper/poet and was traveling around the world competing in spoken-word slams. Are some talents more acceptable and deserving of flexibility than others?

[Anonymous]

It is surprising that none of the private schools in the area would give her a scholarship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It does beg the question what if this was an A-student at Deal who was a very talented rapper/poet and was traveling around the world competing in spoken-word slams. Are some talents more acceptable and deserving of flexibility than others?

+1 Very good point. I wonder if the Post would have written an article on that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think part of the problem is that kids who do this stuff place a large burden on the teacher. They have to get assignments ahead of time, correct them when they turn them in, keep the kid up to speed etc.

Not sure its fair to as a school to do that.

I can understand that to a point. But this is a straight A kid already so clearly she has goood sutdy habits and school managment skills. And its not as if she is missing half the year. Again, I just think they should use more discretion. Isn't this a kid we want to keep in DCPS?

Not at the cost of having to essentially create a unique school curriculum for them, no.

How is the school creating a "unique curriculum" My mom is a teacher and her lesson plans are usually done weeks in advance.