This age discrepancy due to "redshirting" is ridiculous

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are we talking about SPRING kids? I thought this was about kids who would be 4 UPON entering KG, not kids who would already be 5 or 6. I think people are trying to hijack this issue and turn it into what it is not.

Because spring kids are being redshirted, since no one wants their child to be the youngest. When it became the standard for September boys to be redshirted, August boys began being considered for redshirting more generally. When August became standard, July began being considered more generally, and redshirting September girls began being considered more generally, and so on.

I'm aware of spring kids who were redshirted because in their schools summer redshirting is standard, so redshirting has no social implications & a parent of a May or even an April child may decide to hold their child back so they won't be the youngest.

It's not the individual redshirting that's the problem, any more than it's the individual choosing not to vaccinate that's the problem. It's when it becomes a trend, and that trend reinforces and extends itself. And in the case of schools, has helped to create a Kindergarten environment that's almost entirely unsuitable to the average Kindergarten aged child.

Exactly. And to your point of the redshirting date being moved up . . . I know someone who is redshirting her son with a MARCH birthday.

[Anonymous]

Former teacher:
There could be a host of reasons:
family problems
premature birth
frequent moves
health issues

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Former teacher:
There could be a host of reasons:
family problems
premature birth
frequent moves
health issues

I don't know. Still seems a bit ridiculous. My DD was adopted from a foreign country when she was 3, so only started learning English at that point, has a special need that has necessitated (and will necessitate in the future) several surgeries, is in speech therapy for this SN, and still is entering K on time. I think this would qualify her for all of the items on your list above except for #2, and we don't even know about her birth so that may be possible too. It just seems a bit. .. . over-the-top to be turning SEVEN at the start of KINDERGARTEN.

[Anonymous]

Former teacher:

I don't know either--but give her the benefit of the doubt. I cannot imagine anyone doing that if it weren't necessary.

[Anonymous]

I don't know, but my DD told me that another little girl in her class is 6 and turning 7 this month, and I mentally went, "HUH???"

It's also possible that "DD" got it wrong.

[Anonymous]

When my son was in K there were two kids who were special needs who were repeating. They stayed all day --it was half day k--I think they went to two sessions of K and worked with LD teachers.

[Anonymous]

cont. One of the kids is still special needs. The other graduated from high school with, I think, a regular degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I don't know, but my DD told me that another little girl in her class is 6 and turning 7 this month, and I mentally went, "HUH???"

It's also possible that "DD" got it wrong.

Yes, this is possible. I had thought of this too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

*****Then let's rephrase the question to HOW MANY KIDS born BEFORE August do you know who have been red-shirted????**** I suspect the numbers will be very low. As for the vaccine remark, vaccinating is a choice that has religious exceptions. Thank God that I live a country with freedoms!!! I respect your choice to send your 4 year old to KG before she/he turns 5 (Aug or Sep bdays) and I respect your choice to vaccinate or not. In fact, I support your choice to marry whomever you want. Really, this issue is all about choice. Choice means to choose YES or NO. You and I may not agree with the choice to red-shirt, vaccinate or marry one's partner, nut in the end, I will always respect the choice other's make. I think the issue is tat some on this board don't and want to see red-shirting outlawed and that sounds too familiar to other issues involving choice. If you don't agree, you seek to outlaw. Whereas, if I don't agree, I still respect.


You are conflating freedoms. Your choice of marriage partner does not affect anyone, whereas if you choose not to vaccinate, or choose to send your child to the wrong grade, you are affecting others. The public schools should be accountable to the public good.

That's about the dumbest response I have seen yet. I think this whole thread is about parents who resent or are jealous of other parents' choices.

Jealous? Of what? Having a seven-year-old kindergartner? Having a seventh-grader who needs to shave? You are ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

*****Then let's rephrase the question to HOW MANY KIDS born BEFORE August do you know who have been red-shirted????**** I suspect the numbers will be very low. As for the vaccine remark, vaccinating is a choice that has religious exceptions. Thank God that I live a country with freedoms!!! I respect your choice to send your 4 year old to KG before she/he turns 5 (Aug or Sep bdays) and I respect your choice to vaccinate or not. In fact, I support your choice to marry whomever you want. Really, this issue is all about choice. Choice means to choose YES or NO. You and I may not agree with the choice to red-shirt, vaccinate or marry one's partner, nut in the end, I will always respect the choice other's make. I think the issue is tat some on this board don't and want to see red-shirting outlawed and that sounds too familiar to other issues involving choice. If you don't agree, you seek to outlaw. Whereas, if I don't agree, I still respect.


You are conflating freedoms. Your choice of marriage partner does not affect anyone, whereas if you choose not to vaccinate, or choose to send your child to the wrong grade, you are affecting others. The public schools should be accountable to the public good.

That's about the dumbest response I have seen yet. I think this whole thread is about parents who resent or are jealous of other parents' choices.

Jealous? Of what? Having a seven-year-old kindergartner? Having a seventh-grader who needs to shave? You are ridiculous.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Do you really think that a parent not sending their four year old to K is a problem?

[Anonymous]

OP, at my age, I know plenty of children who graduated (then) at 17. It was completely to their advantage.

Clearly, the redshirt parents are extremely shortsighted. Often times there are issues that need to be addressed with the redshirted child. The parent thinks "holding them back" (as we always called it) will help. Really, what the child needs instead is for the parent to step up and take measures for the childs behavior in lieu of redshirting.

Again, they are extremely short sighted.

[Anonymous]

PP here. Do you really want your child to 1.)not have the option of staying back later, when it matters and 2.)not have the option of graduating at 19 instead of 17 or 18 - when historically intended?

[Anonymous]

OP, at my age, I know plenty of children who graduated (then) at 17. It was completely to their advantage.

Clearly, the redshirt parents are extremely shortsighted. Often times there are issues that need to be addressed with the redshirted child. The parent thinks "holding them back" (as we always called it) will help. Really, what the child needs instead is for the parent to step up and take measures for the childs behavior in lieu of redshirting.

Again, they are extremely short sighted.

huh? Maybe they don't want to send their 17 year old off to college.

[Anonymous]

"Holding them back" is normally used when a child repeats a grade. It's kinder than saying he failed.