Reply to Pressuring kids to ignore doctor's orders and come to school sick

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Reply to "Pressuring kids to ignore doctor's orders and come to school sick"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]AP was my child's Assistant Principal who we were dealing with.  My child is NOT taking any AP courses.

My child is an A/B student who knew the material in all of her classes but was facing serious academic repercussions if she missed the exams.  I'm sure she could have performed better if she wasn't sick but she could pass even if she was taking the test with a fever.  We gave the school the doctor's note but they didn't care she was contagious.  The school doesn't care for the well being of others so my child did the best she could with the circumstances she was given.

It would help if MCPS had a consistent policy that school administration has to follow when children are sick and provide medical documentation, but the fact is that the school administration has broad discretion on how they handle individual situations.  The result for my child would have been unjustly punitive so my child took her exams while she was sick.  [/quote]

MCPS does have a consistent policy -- Teachers are mandated to help students with excused/lawful absences make up the work.  In general, you have 1 day to make up work for every day you are sick.  So -- out 3 days, then you have 3 days to make up the work.

Here are some tips-- request all make up work or makeup test rescheduling via email so you have a written record of the request.  Suggest a time or due date within the timeline above.

Yes, teachers and administration do what they can to pressure kids to do what is convenient for the teacher, but that doesn't mean that you or your child have to cave in.  Be firm.

For documentation -- look on P.2 of the "Student Rights and Responsibliities" handbook, given to all students at the beginning of the year.  Also look at various MCPS policies on attendance and grading -- which also say that teachers have to help kids make up work, particularly when the absence is excused/lawful.

Teachers can give alternatives when making up work -- assigning an alternative but equivalent task, or excusing the student from the task.  [/quote]

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