Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two earner households. Lack of workplace flexibility.

Plus, not to be heartless towards your child, but typical colds don’t typically affect other people in significant ways. I’m not staying home for a cold and neither will my kids. Fever - yes. Runny nose - no.

NP here. You are being heartless. Stop sending you kids to school with a cold! Stop going to work with a cold!! I’m glad they don’t bother you, but I also get knocked out by colds, and people like you drive me nuts.

If you’re a waitress or something where you get no paid sick days and need to pay rent, okay. But if you get paid sick days, aren’t using all of them, and are coming in with a cold STOP. You are the problem this post is about!!

I’m an attorney. I literally do not have enough sick days to cover my colds plus 1/2 of kids’ colds. So kids go to school with colds and I go to work with a cold. And that’s just the way it’s gonna be.

You’re an attorney. Don’t you make enough money to take a couple of days of LWOP or , God forbid, vacation days?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There is no childcare for sick children. You can't send them to daycare or school. Period. As a parent, it is YOUR job to care for your child when they are sick. Exclusively. Period. It is the fault of YOUR boss and YOUR job if you can't take a sick day to care for your child. It is ridiculous to suggest we should have "school" (babysitting) available for 365 days a year to accommodate your employer. Do you know how much that would cost taxpayers? We are not a babysitting service, and we are certainly not an infirmary. As a teacher, I'm absolutely not responsible for advocating for your sick leave, nor would you advocate for teachers to get additional sick leave to account for all the illnesses we contract being exposed to your sick children. I already see threads here complaining every time their child's teacher calls out, as if it is any of their business why. In the past, I have reached out to let parents know I would be out on x day (as a courtesy, not a requirement), and had them ask me the reason for the absence. Totally inappropriate.

Is anyone else floored by the tone of this post? I mean, the complete contempt for parents and kids is just stunning. The complete lack of empathy for parents who aren't privileged enough to have sick leave and backup childcare is just stunning. And I tend to agree that sick kids should be kept home whenever possible.

This attitude, right here, is why parents are losing patience with teachers.

I probably would have been shocked by it a year ago but now it doesn’t even register with me. They hate us and hate our kids. Sad but true.

What kind of attitude do you expect from a group of people you spend all day vilifying? That we would be thrilled to contract your germs and agree that whatever you’re doing all day is much more important than parenting? If I hear one more time that returning to school is “a risk we must take” I will scream. You don’t mean we-you mean teachers and school staff, and the “risk” is death.

In this thread you have parents arguing that because it’s stressful for their child to have to make up work that they’ll come to school ill. As an adult with a job, I’m also expected to make up anything I miss when I’m out, even if it means working more than usual for a few days. Why should your 16 year old be any different? In college, your high schooler will also have to independently complete make up work. That’s life.

There are also parents here saying that they’re not responsible for “protecting teachers from every germ”. If anyone had actually read the article that this thread is supposed to discuss, it was written by a parent whose asthmatic child is often hospitalized after exposure to “minor” illnesses at school. When I was a student in elementary school, the principal had to send out a pleading letter to families to stop sending kids who were queasy or had diarrhea to school because there was a nasty stomach bug going around and one of the first graders was undergoing treatment for leukemia. It could have killed the child. It doesn’t just impact teachers. We know you hate teachers and they should be exposed to all your children’s germs to punish them for being so selfish and terrible, but unfortunately you can’t control who gets sick when you send Johnny to school with the flu (I mean, “a cough and a low grade fever” per the parent I was responding to).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There is no childcare for sick children. You can't send them to daycare or school. Period. As a parent, it is YOUR job to care for your child when they are sick. Exclusively. Period. It is the fault of YOUR boss and YOUR job if you can't take a sick day to care for your child. It is ridiculous to suggest we should have "school" (babysitting) available for 365 days a year to accommodate your employer. Do you know how much that would cost taxpayers? We are not a babysitting service, and we are certainly not an infirmary. As a teacher, I'm absolutely not responsible for advocating for your sick leave, nor would you advocate for teachers to get additional sick leave to account for all the illnesses we contract being exposed to your sick children. I already see threads here complaining every time their child's teacher calls out, as if it is any of their business why. In the past, I have reached out to let parents know I would be out on x day (as a courtesy, not a requirement), and had them ask me the reason for the absence. Totally inappropriate.

Is anyone else floored by the tone of this post? I mean, the complete contempt for parents and kids is just stunning. The complete lack of empathy for parents who aren't privileged enough to have sick leave and backup childcare is just stunning. And I tend to agree that sick kids should be kept home whenever possible.

This attitude, right here, is why parents are losing patience with teachers.

I probably would have been shocked by it a year ago but now it doesn’t even register with me. They hate us and hate our kids. Sad but true.

What kind of attitude do you expect from a group of people you spend all day vilifying? That we would be thrilled to contract your germs and agree that whatever you’re doing all day is much more important than parenting? If I hear one more time that returning to school is “a risk we must take” I will scream. You don’t mean we-you mean teachers and school staff, and the “risk” is death.

In this thread you have parents arguing that because it’s stressful for their child to have to make up work that they’ll come to school ill. As an adult with a job, I’m also expected to make up anything I miss when I’m out, even if it means working more than usual for a few days. Why should your 16 year old be any different? In college, your high schooler will also have to independently complete make up work. That’s life.

There are also parents here saying that they’re not responsible for “protecting teachers from every germ”. If anyone had actually read the article that this thread is supposed to discuss, it was written by a parent whose asthmatic child is often hospitalized after exposure to “minor” illnesses at school. When I was a student in elementary school, the principal had to send out a pleading letter to families to stop sending kids who were queasy or had diarrhea to school because there was a nasty stomach bug going around and one of the first graders was undergoing treatment for leukemia. It could have killed the child. It doesn’t just impact teachers. We know you hate teachers and they should be exposed to all your children’s germs to punish them for being so selfish and terrible, but unfortunately you can’t control who gets sick when you send Johnny to school with the flu (I mean, “a cough and a low grade fever” per the parent I was responding to).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two earner households. Lack of workplace flexibility.

Plus, not to be heartless towards your child, but typical colds don’t typically affect other people in significant ways. I’m not staying home for a cold and neither will my kids. Fever - yes. Runny nose - no.

NP here. You are being heartless. Stop sending you kids to school with a cold! Stop going to work with a cold!! I’m glad they don’t bother you, but I also get knocked out by colds, and people like you drive me nuts.

If you’re a waitress or something where you get no paid sick days and need to pay rent, okay. But if you get paid sick days, aren’t using all of them, and are coming in with a cold STOP. You are the problem this post is about!!

I’m an attorney. I literally do not have enough sick days to cover my colds plus 1/2 of kids’ colds. So kids go to school with colds and I go to work with a cold. And that’s just the way it’s gonna be.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two earner households. Lack of workplace flexibility.

Plus, not to be heartless towards your child, but typical colds don’t typically affect other people in significant ways. I’m not staying home for a cold and neither will my kids. Fever - yes. Runny nose - no.

NP here. You are being heartless. Stop sending you kids to school with a cold! Stop going to work with a cold!! I’m glad they don’t bother you, but I also get knocked out by colds, and people like you drive me nuts.

If you’re a waitress or something where you get no paid sick days and need to pay rent, okay. But if you get paid sick days, aren’t using all of them, and are coming in with a cold STOP. You are the problem this post is about!!

Anonymous wrote:

There is no childcare for sick children. You can't send them to daycare or school. Period. As a parent, it is YOUR job to care for your child when they are sick. Exclusively. Period. It is the fault of YOUR boss and YOUR job if you can't take a sick day to care for your child. It is ridiculous to suggest we should have "school" (babysitting) available for 365 days a year to accommodate your employer. Do you know how much that would cost taxpayers? We are not a babysitting service, and we are certainly not an infirmary. As a teacher, I'm absolutely not responsible for advocating for your sick leave, nor would you advocate for teachers to get additional sick leave to account for all the illnesses we contract being exposed to your sick children. I already see threads here complaining every time their child's teacher calls out, as if it is any of their business why. In the past, I have reached out to let parents know I would be out on x day (as a courtesy, not a requirement), and had them ask me the reason for the absence. Totally inappropriate.

Is anyone else floored by the tone of this post? I mean, the complete contempt for parents and kids is just stunning. The complete lack of empathy for parents who aren't privileged enough to have sick leave and backup childcare is just stunning. And I tend to agree that sick kids should be kept home whenever possible.

This attitude, right here, is why parents are losing patience with teachers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There is no childcare for sick children. You can't send them to daycare or school. Period. As a parent, it is YOUR job to care for your child when they are sick. Exclusively. Period. It is the fault of YOUR boss and YOUR job if you can't take a sick day to care for your child. It is ridiculous to suggest we should have "school" (babysitting) available for 365 days a year to accommodate your employer. Do you know how much that would cost taxpayers? We are not a babysitting service, and we are certainly not an infirmary. As a teacher, I'm absolutely not responsible for advocating for your sick leave, nor would you advocate for teachers to get additional sick leave to account for all the illnesses we contract being exposed to your sick children. I already see threads here complaining every time their child's teacher calls out, as if it is any of their business why. In the past, I have reached out to let parents know I would be out on x day (as a courtesy, not a requirement), and had them ask me the reason for the absence. Totally inappropriate.

Is anyone else floored by the tone of this post? I mean, the complete contempt for parents and kids is just stunning. The complete lack of empathy for parents who aren't privileged enough to have sick leave and backup childcare is just stunning. And I tend to agree that sick kids should be kept home whenever possible.

This attitude, right here, is why parents are losing patience with teachers.

I probably would have been shocked by it a year ago but now it doesn’t even register with me. They hate us and hate our kids. Sad but true.

Anonymous wrote:

There is no childcare for sick children. You can't send them to daycare or school. Period. As a parent, it is YOUR job to care for your child when they are sick. Exclusively. Period. It is the fault of YOUR boss and YOUR job if you can't take a sick day to care for your child. It is ridiculous to suggest we should have "school" (babysitting) available for 365 days a year to accommodate your employer. Do you know how much that would cost taxpayers? We are not a babysitting service, and we are certainly not an infirmary. As a teacher, I'm absolutely not responsible for advocating for your sick leave, nor would you advocate for teachers to get additional sick leave to account for all the illnesses we contract being exposed to your sick children. I already see threads here complaining every time their child's teacher calls out, as if it is any of their business why. In the past, I have reached out to let parents know I would be out on x day (as a courtesy, not a requirement), and had them ask me the reason for the absence. Totally inappropriate.

Is anyone else floored by the tone of this post? I mean, the complete contempt for parents and kids is just stunning. The complete lack of empathy for parents who aren't privileged enough to have sick leave and backup childcare is just stunning. And I tend to agree that sick kids should be kept home whenever possible.

This attitude, right here, is why parents are losing patience with teachers.

There is no childcare for sick children. You can't send them to daycare or school. Period. As a parent, it is YOUR job to care for your child when they are sick. Exclusively. Period. It is the fault of YOUR boss and YOUR job if you can't take a sick day to care for your child. It is ridiculous to suggest we should have "school" (babysitting) available for 365 days a year to accommodate your employer. Do you know how much that would cost taxpayers? We are not a babysitting service, and we are certainly not an infirmary. As a teacher, I'm absolutely not responsible for advocating for your sick leave, nor would you advocate for teachers to get additional sick leave to account for all the illnesses we contract being exposed to your sick children. I already see threads here complaining every time their child's teacher calls out, as if it is any of their business why. In the past, I have reached out to let parents know I would be out on x day (as a courtesy, not a requirement), and had them ask me the reason for the absence. Totally inappropriate.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because I’m not letting my kids miss 7 days of school for a low grade temperature.

If they continue to offer online classes I will keep them home.

If your kid has a fever for 7 days, you need to keep them home and take them to the doctor. WTF is wrong with you?

You can't take a kid to the doctor with a low grade fever, they basically say, call us back if it goes above 101. But after a few days, you push them to see you then they say, rest, advil and fluids.

Do you even have children! WTF is wrong with you?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid was a severe asthmatic as a child. I swear if someone SAID "sick" he would be wheezing. (Obviously not, but...) There were a few times a teacher would mention that so & so was there with a pretty bad cold, just an FYI. Sure enough a couple of days later ds would start with breathing trouble and go from there.

Having said that, everyone can't keep their kid home because of a runny nose. Runny nose with no other symptoms doesn't equal sick. What about kids with allergies? Some would almost never go to school.


Runny nose, red eyes, sore throat & cough? Please keep your kid home. At that point they probably feel like crap too.

I think school illness policies will be enforced a lot more.

Runny nose, red eyes, sore throat and cough are how allergies present for me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid’s teachers have regularly had policies which make it very difficult to catch up. They often seem to suggest that the kid needs to catch up by working at home, while sick. But if the kid is too sick to go to school, usually he’s too sick to do schoolwork. It just feels like they want to have it both ways.

Sometimes it feels like teachers just want the kids to be sick less.

This discussion is illuminating. Of course the angry teacher poster doesn't speak for all teachers, but it helps me to understand that even before the pandemic, some teachers favored policies to intended protect teachers from being exposed to illness, regardless of severity or actual risk, to the detriment of childrens' education. No teacher should ever be forced to catch a cold, so all sniffling children should be excluded from school. And each of them needs to individually approach each of their teachers to make arrangement to make up the work, subject to teacher discretion to allow them to make up the work. Oh, and by the way, if you are sick, stay home as instructed, and ask to make up the work, you have to do it either before or after school, so you'll need your own transportation for that too.

Teachers in my district get only 10 paid sick days which we have to split between personal illness and illness in family. When my younger DD was really little, anything I caught at work, she would catch. And then end up at the Children’s ER for asthma. I was a divorced mom so I could easily use up my 10 days of sick leave before Christmas just from parents sending sick kids 2-3 times. Any days missed after that, my pay was docked. I was losing money so that other parents didn’t lose a day of work. At the time, I worked at a W feeder. The parents were much better off than me, but I was indirectly subsidizing their careers.

Honestly 10 days is pretty standard around here for people who are on salary. Some people do get 15. And I haven’t really heard of a separate leave for sick children. It doesn’t sound like you had it worse than most salaried workers, honestly.