lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> again, this is a discussion forum. No need to
> attack my my mental health, You sound angry. Is
> someone treating you unfairly? not listening to
> you? Dragging you by your hair?
>
> I'm teaching my children to stick up for
> themselves. My daughter is not scared anymore. I
> have not mentioned her GPA because that is
> irrelevant.
>
> I don't think you are getting my point. Do you
> know what my point is?

If your kids are in all advanced classes and they are earning straight A's their unweighted GPA would be 4.0, right?

Yes, you did mention their GPA. You also have backtracked and said that your kids DO go to school, are wonderful students and you are talking about PLANNED absences. Of course, if you have not bothered to mention these planned absences in advance to the school they are not PLANNED and, therefore, not excused. If they are not excused how are your kids making up missed assignments/quizzes/tests?

I have a hard time believing that your kids are as on top of things as you say they are. Even smart kids will bomb a class if they are chronically missing assignments and not showing up for quizzes/tests/oral presentations, etc.

personal level

This is not personal. It's wrong. I did talk to him several times. I do not need to pussy foot around the administration,. No thought was put into this. He even said it was a bad idea to blind side the parents with the form letter.

He has really no valid reason except that he can.

again, this is a discussion forum. I am willing to hear all ideas. but, don't tell me to sit back and just take it. I don't have to be nicey nice. He has shown my family no respect. You earn respect. you treat the children with respect. We teach each other how to be kind and caring. We listen to them. They are human beings with feelings. They do have the ability to think for themselves. Don't take that away. Making your own decisions helps to build self confidence and learn to trust your own instincts. Not doubt yourself. I am not attacking anybody, I am just explaining a situation. Nothing I have said is untrue. If I misunderstood maybe he can try and explain it to me again. But, I think I've got it.

This does not come from a place of "stress" This is good old fashioned debate.
It's actually fun to hear where people are coming from. Get an idea of the climate.

Mr. Poole asked me what am i going to do? change the attendance rules. I said maybe i will. but once again, imposing a "rule" on my family, and other families that is at his discretion to implement, all the while hiding behind it's a "rule", is in my opinion cowardly. Take ownership. It was your decision. Make me believe in that decision. I'm open to discussion. But stop saying it's a "rule" Thinking people don't just blindly do things people say they "have" to do. Come on.

Just a couple thoughts...

Seems you have gotten some sound advice here(with other comments interspersed). And it seems many, even while giving good advice, think you are not in the right. I check in here only now and again, but it is rare when I see a parent complaining about FCPS be criticized and the school backed up. If you aren't gaining traction, you should stop and really consider you are in the wrong on this one. You should stop, enjoy this beautiful day, and go take care of your kids. If you have not burned all bridges, make an appointment with the principal and your child's counselor and work out a plan. If the relationship is too poisoned, maybe your spouse can do this. If not, turn off (or way down) the rhetoric and stop the panic. Send your kid to school, get a simple note when you need to, and plan vacations during days off of school. There are plenty of those. For a special event, if she has to miss and an absence is unexcused, so what. Like you said, the school cannot fail a kid over attendance anymore. My guess is that has made the attendance issue worse, but makes sense a kid shoul not arbitrarily be failed for missing class. Anyway, seems to me this is "not a mountain to die on." Go outside, breathe the fresh air, and play with your family.

Halfway up the thread, the OP was so pissed she was going to stop posting. Yet she kept posting to bitch more.

We get your point. now stfu

lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> someone has ranked Mr. Poole's name on google
> search engine. yesterday he was just a blip. I
> could hardly find anything about him. Now google
> him. He's got a fan.

You make this personal and its Will backfire on you. I have withheld judgement on you because I do see your point but at this point, with the volume of your posts and your attitude, and some of your comments you are coming off as unstable and probably someone that has challenges as a parent. You should also know that this forum is not a place you want to be starting vendettas. Be it against a public official, school administrator or another poster. Many posters here are pros at taking things to a level imagined by mere mortals.

You made your points, now for gods sake ditch the username, make an appointment with a therapist for YOURSELF and make a gratitude list in the morning and evening everyday for the next week. It might help.

Ok I'm done. But I won't let it go. There never were any bridges to burn down.
I hope somebody gets where I am coming from. I'm not angry. The hunger strike was a joke. It's called sarcasm.

Everybody stop being so afraid.

lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> someone has ranked Mr. Poole's name on google
> search engine. yesterday he was just a blip. I
> could hardly find anything about him. Now google
> him. He's got a fan.


Lady, if this helps, I totally agree with your point but would write you off after 5 min. I am a like-minded parent but you are a brick wall. You can see 'Amy's Baking Company' to see how nuts you are coming across. We live in a world of imperfection and injustice. We are so blessed in this County to have something like a petty dispute over attendance be our biggest 'problem.' You come across as a hateful, illogical, childish person. Basically what you want is this to all be about YOU. About how you are right and the world is wrong. This all has ZERO to do with your daughter and her well being. Know that now. This is all about and only you.

followed my parents advice and changed my decision to become a teacher. Mom was a teacher, and she loved it for a long time. I thought about being a math teacher, but my mom suggested I go into another major. She talked about so many rewarding times with kids, and that it was nice to have the summers. She said the parents were getting out of control and I might be better off and happier working in another field and then volunteering with kids. And that my own family would be better off financially.

After reading some of this, I can't thank mom more. She has passed and I miss her, but she was so right. That's sad, but she took care of her boy. Thanks mom.

What did it say? Have you sent into Megan McLaughlin?

lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thank you.
>
> I have contacted Congressman Gerry Connolly,
> Fairfax County School Board Member Ilryong Moon.
> ACLU. I just started last Thursday. Give me time
> I'm just getting started.

You were educated at Brown and contacted you congressman over a county school attendance regulation? And the ACLU? Oh my God. The Ivey's must be so proud!

Post the letter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What did it say? Have you sent into Megan
> McLaughlin?


Agreed, lets see your letter. If you want a following start with your reasoned points as presented to your school board representative. we can all get behind you but we need to know the issue statement first. Thanks for your work in this.

lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> personal level
>
> This is not personal. It's wrong. I did talk to
> him several times. I do not need to pussy foot
> around the administration,. No thought was put
> into this. He even said it was a bad idea to
> blind side the parents with the form letter.
>
> He has really no valid reason except that he can.
>
> again, this is a discussion forum. I am willing
> to hear all ideas. but, don't tell me to sit back
> and just take it. I don't have to be nicey nice.
> He has shown my family no respect. You earn
> respect. you treat the children with respect. We
> teach each other how to be kind and caring. We
> listen to them. They are human beings with
> feelings. They do have the ability to think for
> themselves. Don't take that away. Making your
> own decisions helps to build self confidence and
> learn to trust your own instincts. Not doubt
> yourself. I am not attacking anybody, I am just
> explaining a situation. Nothing I have said is
> untrue. If I misunderstood maybe he can try and
> explain it to me again. But, I think I've got
> it.
>
> This does not come from a place of "stress" This
> is good old fashioned debate.
> It's actually fun to hear where people are coming
> from. Get an idea of the climate.
>
> Mr. Poole asked me what am i going to do? change
> the attendance rules. I said maybe i will. but
> once again, imposing a "rule" on my family, and
> other families that is at his discretion to
> implement, all the while hiding behind it's a
> "rule", is in my opinion cowardly. Take
> ownership. It was your decision. Make me believe
> in that decision. I'm open to discussion. But
> stop saying it's a "rule" Thinking people don't
> just blindly do things people say they "have" to
> do. Come on.

So basically you want your kids to be able to come and go freely from school at your discretion. The school's job is to put your kids into advanced classes and then rubber stamp an 'A' on their report card whether the kid is at school or not. I suppose you also want the flexibility of proctoring your own child's SAT test from the comfort of your home (to avoid undo stress of course)?

lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't have a perfect answer. But I don't know
> how making me get a doctor's note is going to
> help. There aren't many scenarios I can picture
> where making a kid sit in class when he doesn't
> want to be there will make his life better. It
> doesn't address the childs issue. Nobody has
> talked to him except maybe his parents. Mr. Poole
> and vice principle what's her name had never even
> met my children, or talked to me.
>
> I never realized until I had to fight the school
> to get my parental rights back, that I have always
> subscribed to the Self Determination Theory. I
> didn't even know it existed.
>
> It's just how I have always treated people.
>
> Mr. Poole has told me there really will be no
> consequences for future absences. He will mark my
> children unexcused. He doesn't understand that it
> is demoralizing to my children. I asked him to
> take them of the doctor's note only list at the
> attendance office. He refused. He can't its a
> rule which also is not true. It's a little
> crappy piece of power he can use if he wants to.


How is it demoralizing? If there are no consequences, tell them to got to school when they want and move on. But it sounds like you kids miss way too much school.

I am so glad I Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> followed my parents advice and changed my decision
> to become a teacher. Mom was a teacher, and she
> loved it for a long time. I thought about being a
> math teacher, but my mom suggested I go into
> another major. She talked about so many rewarding
> times with kids, and that it was nice to have the
> summers. She said the parents were getting out of
> control and I might be better off and happier
> working in another field and then volunteering
> with kids. And that my own family would be better
> off financially.
>
> After reading some of this, I can't thank mom
> more. She has passed and I miss her, but she was
> so right. That's sad, but she took care of her
> boy. Thanks mom.

I considered becoming a teacher at one point but decided that I didn't like kids that much. They got on my nerves.

Now that I have kids of my own I realize just how difficult a job it is for these teachers. They deserve a lot of credit for going in there every day, they really do.

> I considered becoming a teacher at one point but
> decided that I didn't like kids that much. They
> got on my nerves.
>
> Now that I have kids of my own I realize just how
> difficult a job it is for these teachers. They
> deserve a lot of credit for going in there every
> day, they really do.


I agree, they do. I work with kids in sports and some parents can be fairly ridiculous. Most are not, though, and I only coach a couple days a week and the season ends after a few months. I can't imagine having to deal with this kind of stuff everyday, and still focus on the real task of teaching your kids, my kids, and everyone else's. Yoemans work.

>
> So basically you want your kids to be able to come
> and go freely from school at your discretion. The
> school's job is to put your kids into advanced
> classes and then rubber stamp an 'A' on their
> report card whether the kid is at school or not.
> I suppose you also want the flexibility of
> proctoring your own child's SAT test from the
> comfort of your home (to avoid undo stress of
> course)?

I think you are confusing posters - Im the one with the genius kids. I dont think the OP's kids get straight A's nor were they able to attend TJ as mine are. I think the OP would be happy to have her kids earn whatever grades, be happy and move on. But not before everyone in Fairfax County declares her cause just and right and declares her our savior from ourselves.

lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You are right. My children have no unexcused
> absences. He just thinks they have too many
> excused absences. I call every time. Or I send a
> note if they are late, or need to check out.
>
> He will no longer accept my notes. He needs a
> doctor's note. My daughter gets migraines. Taking
> her to the doctor is senseless. Dragging her by
> the hair to school would be cruel.


No it wouldn't. You need to make sure that you are disiplining your Child properly, or else it will end up disobeying you repeadetly, which leads to sex, drugs, and alcohol.

Ghost Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> lisah Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > You are right. My children have no unexcused
> > absences. He just thinks they have too many
> > excused absences. I call every time. Or I send
> a
> > note if they are late, or need to check out.
> >
> > He will no longer accept my notes. He needs a
> > doctor's note. My daughter gets migraines.
> Taking
> > her to the doctor is senseless. Dragging her
> by
> > the hair to school would be cruel.
>
>
> No it wouldn't. You need to make sure that you are
> disiplining your Child properly, or else it will
> end up disobeying you repeadetly, which leads to
> sex, drugs, and alcohol.


If the kid has migraines get a doctor to say she has migraines and how it should be handled -- end of drama. Maybe get a special Ed thing or whatever if your kid is so sick she can't be expected to be able to come to school. This is not a crisis. But the OP is trying to make it one. There is something wrong with the OP's story. Does not hold together at all.

> Ghost Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------
> If the kid has migraines get a doctor to say she
> has migraines and how it should be handled -- end
> of drama. Maybe get a special Ed thing or whatever
> if your kid is so sick she can't be expected to be
> able to come to school. This is not a crisis. But
> the OP is trying to make it one. There is
> something wrong with the OP's story. Does not hold
> together at all.


I know. It sounds to me like his kid just doesn't want to go to school and is bullshitting him to get out of it. Either that or she's autistic and still doesn't want to go to school. LOL

There must be more to this Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ghost Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > lisah Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > You are right. My children have no unexcused
> > > absences. He just thinks they have too many
> > > excused absences. I call every time. Or I
> send
> > a
> > > note if they are late, or need to check out.
> > >
> > > He will no longer accept my notes. He needs a
> > > doctor's note. My daughter gets migraines.
> > Taking
> > > her to the doctor is senseless. Dragging her
> > by
> > > the hair to school would be cruel.
> >
> >
> > No it wouldn't. You need to make sure that you
> are
> > disiplining your Child properly, or else it
> will
> > end up disobeying you repeadetly, which leads
> to
> > sex, drugs, and alcohol.
>
>
> If the kid has migraines get a doctor to say she
> has migraines and how it should be handled -- end
> of drama. Maybe get a special Ed thing or whatever
> if your kid is so sick she can't be expected to be
> able to come to school. This is not a crisis. But
> the OP is trying to make it one. There is
> something wrong with the OP's story. Does not hold
> together at all.

This seems like such a logical, common sense approach. Low drama and it gets what the Op wants. I, too, don't understand the antagonizing approach Op is taking.

Hey lisah...you most certainly did devolve to the level of name calling re: Mr Poole. Check your 2/27 9:01 PM post, you raving slunt. It might be time to up your meds.

Don't make me put my foot up your ass, psycho. It's my way or the highway.

My son was also sent a letter saying that he has 10 excused absences. I think the policy is reasonable. He was staying at home sometimes just because he did not want to go to school and I let him because I don't want him to be stressed out. However, I don't think my son was the only one getting away with this. The system was abused so the school reacted appropriately. I see where you are coming from but maybe consider that it's good for your kids not to miss so much school. I'm sure you can get a doctors note for your daughters migraines. Give the principle a break.

OP, is this true? Your kid has missed ten days or more of school already? With the snow that has to be 10-15% of all school days. You want the school and the teachers to just deal with this and ask no questions? And you and other people will complain if your child is left behind. Blame the school, that's the problem. And you want your kid to miss more and more school. Maybe there is a story behind this, but I have to ask, what is wrong with you?

Dr Poole is actually cleaning up that school... translation -> telling the ridiculous parents to SHOVE IT and get with the program!

Good job Dr. Poole!

lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ok I'm done. But I won't let it go. There never
> were any bridges to burn down.
> I hope somebody gets where I am coming from. I'm
> not angry. The hunger strike was a joke. It's
> called sarcasm.
>
> Everybody stop being so afraid.


But only if you show yourself as reasonable. You say it is a joke. I hope so for you and your kids. Getting help seems like a good idea. No shame in that.

I am so glad that I decided not to become a teacher (after student teaching). I saw the handwriting on the wall with the parents. The people here who relentlessly bitch about how much teachers are paid and how lazy they are should ask themselves if they could put up the batshit crazy entitled parents and their spawn day.after.day without going nuts.

I'm a high school teacher. The kids are great. There are some good, reasonable parents, but the ones that suck really ruin it for the good ones, and for their own kids. If you want to know who has the worst parents look for the most overly entitled kid.

Teacher Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm a high school teacher. The kids are great.
> There are some good, reasonable parents, but the
> ones that suck really ruin it for the good ones,
> and for their own kids. If you want to know who
> has the worst parents look for the most overly
> entitled kid.


That's every single millineal. Most of their parents don't know how to raise their kids and they turn out as spoiled, snot nosed brats that no one wants to be around.

I don't understand how the OP (original poster) thinks her kids are adults perfectly capable of making their own decisions on whether or not to attend school but are so mentally fragile that they crumble under the stress of being asked to justify absences. Which is it?

a) yes, in real world company's do require doctor's notes after "x" number of sick days. I've seen it in several company handbooks. Never knew any that actually required it but it was there in writing should they have felt the need to challenge malingering.

b) So, if my kid doesnt' feel well, I need to spend time and money taking him to the doctor? If your kid is not feeling well often enough to gain the attention of a truancy or admin - well, maybe you should be taking them to a doctor... I don't know... if my kid was staying home from school sick that often I suspect I might try to get to the bottom of it. Doesn't seem unreasonable.

realworld Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't understand how the OP (original poster)
> thinks her kids are adults perfectly capable of
> making their own decisions on whether or not to
> attend school but are so mentally fragile that
> they crumble under the stress of being asked to
> justify absences. Which is it?


I assume the OP has kept her kid from getting a driver's lisence. And she better not be letting her have a parking pass at Woodson. If she thinks the girl is too unable to function in a classroom, of course she would not put her daughter, and all of our neighbors and the other students, at risk by letting her get behind the wheel. I hope she will assure us all. And she should be sure Mr. Poole knows as well.

> 1. We are not taking 3 weeks of for family
> vacations - Im talking maybe 7 days school year.
> 2. When you know you are going to be off you can
> take tests and do work in advance before the
> absence.
> 3. My children work hard at school and are blessed
> to be very very smart - all A's
> 4. We cherish education in our home. We are all
> nerds and talk about science, math, literature all
> the time. We have lively debates about
> everything. You could say our kids are never out
> of school but its because we love learning!
> 5. We would use any issue like this as a family
> journey not some punishment. The 4 of us are
> smart enough to work the system and overcome any
> bogus rule - and we would do it ethically. For
> example, if this were an issue for us Id spend a
> few hundred bucks to go to our pediatrician and/or
> a therapist. Id show them my kids grades (90th%
> plus from K-8 with top 2% testing always) and I
> would get them to write a mental health day note.
>
> Shame of it is you shouldnt have to have straight
> A's to take more than 5 family days in a year but
> since we have that in our family Id use it to our
> advantage.
>
> By the way for those irate rule followers here you
> should know by middle school all your kids
> assignments and work is available 24/7 on
> Blackboard. Kids can do work when sick (our do)
> from home. Same with family trips.

This is incredible. Hope the OP is a troll. If not, here goes with responses to your numberered items.

1 - Seven school days for family vacation? Who does this? There are only 180 school days each year. Use seven of the other 165 for family vacations. Imagine if all of the 200,000 kids randomly took 7 "family vacation days." What a burden you are placing on everyone else.

2 - You can just take tests ahead of time? Why should my kid's teacher have to ignore my kid and all the others to write tests early for your kid because you want to go wherever whenever? Again, imagine if all the kids did this. You'd be going nuts when the teacher is too distracted to focus on your kid as the teacher accommodates everyone's vacation schedule. Think about it.

3 - Good for them. They should encourage and respect others. Be smart, accomplished, and a good contributor.

4 - It is not only about you and your kids. Glad you all love learning, that does not excuse your kids from attending, participating, and I contributing to class.

5 - Based on all you have written, you are not being ethical. What is the punishment? Going to class. There is a 1st world inconvenience. You are being selfish and putting the needs of others behind your wants. High test scores do not equal high ethical standards. Your posts prove this.

There is so much more to say. Why would anyone want to be a teacher if all parents were like you and expected everyone to serve you? Thank goodness you are the exception, or at least a rarity. You say your family loves learning and education goes on all the time in your home. I would encourage you to homeschool. If you did, you could set up all the vacation days you want, and the rest of the kids could have teachers who focus on all of them, and not just your wants.

The kids missed so much time for snow days already and before that was Winter Break.

Soon it will be Spring Break. Why on earth do you want to take your kids out of school now? They just got back and they will be off again soon. This is such a strange thread...

He did the same thing to us when he was principal at Lanier Middle School. We got a form letter from the school saying doctor's notes were required for absences. I provided a few doctor's notes-just to play their little game-and later found out the school had actually recorded excused absences as unexcused. Without any notice, the attendance officer called me and then quickly backtracked when he realized the school had made a mistake. Then the assistant principal-can't recall her name-got on the phone all flustered when she realized the attendance secretary had made a mistake in recording the absences, and had actually lost a few of the doctor's notes I provided. (I had saved copies of them.) So they had wasted all of this time on nothing.

Attendance Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> He did the same thing to us when he was principal
> at Lanier Middle School. We got a form letter from
> the school saying doctor's notes were required for
> absences. I provided a few doctor's notes-just to
> play their little game-and later found out the
> school had actually recorded excused absences as
> unexcused. Without any notice, the attendance
> officer called me and then quickly backtracked
> when he realized the school had made a mistake.
> Then the assistant principal-can't recall her
> name-got on the phone all flustered when she
> realized the attendance secretary had made a
> mistake in recording the absences, and had
> actually lost a few of the doctor's notes I
> provided. (I had saved copies of them.) So they
> had wasted all of this time on nothing.

Your ability to comprehend what the OP wrote is possibly explainable by your many excused and unexcused absences from school over the years.

This is incredible! Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > 1. We are not taking 3 weeks of for family
> > vacations - Im talking maybe 7 days school
> year.
> > 2. When you know you are going to be off you
> can
> > take tests and do work in advance before the
> > absence.
> > 3. My children work hard at school and are
> blessed
> > to be very very smart - all A's
> > 4. We cherish education in our home. We are
> all
> > nerds and talk about science, math, literature
> all
> > the time. We have lively debates about
> > everything. You could say our kids are never
> out
> > of school but its because we love learning!
> > 5. We would use any issue like this as a family
> > journey not some punishment. The 4 of us are
> > smart enough to work the system and overcome
> any
> > bogus rule - and we would do it ethically. For
> > example, if this were an issue for us Id spend
> a
> > few hundred bucks to go to our pediatrician
> and/or
> > a therapist. Id show them my kids grades
> (90th%
> > plus from K-8 with top 2% testing always) and I
> > would get them to write a mental health day
> note.
> >
> > Shame of it is you shouldnt have to have
> straight
> > A's to take more than 5 family days in a year
> but
> > since we have that in our family Id use it to
> our
> > advantage.
> >
> > By the way for those irate rule followers here
> you
> > should know by middle school all your kids
> > assignments and work is available 24/7 on
> > Blackboard. Kids can do work when sick (our
> do)
> > from home. Same with family trips.
>
> This is incredible. Hope the OP is a troll. If
> not, here goes with responses to your numberered
> items.
>
> 1 - Seven school days for family vacation? Who
> does this? There are only 180 school days each
> year. Use seven of the other 165 for family
> vacations. Imagine if all of the 200,000 kids
> randomly took 7 "family vacation days." What a
> burden you are placing on everyone else.
>
> 2 - You can just take tests ahead of time? Why
> should my kid's teacher have to ignore my kid and
> all the others to write tests early for your kid
> because you want to go wherever whenever? Again,
> imagine if all the kids did this. You'd be going
> nuts when the teacher is too distracted to focus
> on your kid as the teacher accommodates everyone's
> vacation schedule. Think about it.
>
> 3 - Good for them. They should encourage and
> respect others. Be smart, accomplished, and a good
> contributor.
>
> 4 - It is not only about you and your kids. Glad
> you all love learning, that does not excuse your
> kids from attending, participating, and I
> contributing to class.
>
> 5 - Based on all you have written, you are not
> being ethical. What is the punishment? Going to
> class. There is a 1st world inconvenience. You are
> being selfish and putting the needs of others
> behind your wants. High test scores do not equal
> high ethical standards. Your posts prove this.
>
> There is so much more to say. Why would anyone
> want to be a teacher if all parents were like you
> and expected everyone to serve you? Thank goodness
> you are the exception, or at least a rarity. You
> say your family loves learning and education goes
> on all the time in your home. I would encourage
> you to homeschool. If you did, you could set up
> all the vacation days you want, and the rest of
> the kids could have teachers who focus on all of
> them, and not just your wants.


As a teacher, I applaud administration when they enforce the rules about attendance. You may think it's not a problem for teachers, but it is. Every teacher has had to give up either planning time, class time, or personal time to help a student who has missed a lot of school. It's probably invisible to you, but we've all had to do it to help a child like yours. It's especially irritating when we know the absences are unnecessary, and the parent looks her nose down at us.

One of the major problems I see in FCPS is that parents and students treat school like it's a customer service business: "Let's see. Today, I'd like an A, and I'd like to do no work to earn it. Thanks. Oh - can you give me a side of entitlement? Awesome!" The sad thing is that a lot of administrators cave into this way of thinking and put pressure on the teachers, not the families. I'm thrilled to see an administrator "lay down the law" on parents instead of teachers for a change.

This is incredible! Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > 1. We are not taking 3 weeks of for family
> > vacations - Im talking maybe 7 days school
> year.
> > 2. When you know you are going to be off you
> can
> > take tests and do work in advance before the
> > absence.
> > 3. My children work hard at school and are
> blessed
> > to be very very smart - all A's
> > 4. We cherish education in our home. We are
> all
> > nerds and talk about science, math, literature
> all
> > the time. We have lively debates about
> > everything. You could say our kids are never
> out
> > of school but its because we love learning!
> > 5. We would use any issue like this as a family
> > journey not some punishment. The 4 of us are
> > smart enough to work the system and overcome
> any
> > bogus rule - and we would do it ethically. For
> > example, if this were an issue for us Id spend
> a
> > few hundred bucks to go to our pediatrician
> and/or
> > a therapist. Id show them my kids grades
> (90th%
> > plus from K-8 with top 2% testing always) and I
> > would get them to write a mental health day
> note.
> >
> > Shame of it is you shouldnt have to have
> straight
> > A's to take more than 5 family days in a year
> but
> > since we have that in our family Id use it to
> our
> > advantage.
> >
> > By the way for those irate rule followers here
> you
> > should know by middle school all your kids
> > assignments and work is available 24/7 on
> > Blackboard. Kids can do work when sick (our
> do)
> > from home. Same with family trips.
>
> This is incredible. Hope the OP is a troll. If
> not, here goes with responses to your numberered
> items.
>
> 1 - Seven school days for family vacation? Who
> does this? There are only 180 school days each
> year. Use seven of the other 165 for family
> vacations. Imagine if all of the 200,000 kids
> randomly took 7 "family vacation days." What a
> burden you are placing on everyone else.calm down, my kids are no burden on anyone. They do all their work on time and its A+ work always. I said '7 days maybe' I know we take a day or two in the fall and same in spring, sometimes we take the odd day otherwise but I frankly do not keep track.
>
> 2 - You can just take tests ahead of time? Why
> should my kid's teacher have to ignore my kid and
> all the others to write tests early for your kid
> because you want to go wherever whenever? Again,
> imagine if all the kids did this. You'd be going
> nuts when the teacher is too distracted to focus
> on your kid as the teacher accommodates everyone's
> vacation schedule. Think about it.relax, if there is a test we generally will not pull our kid. We schedule it so an absence will be on a half day or perhaps at the end of the year when they are doing nothing anyway. 'if' there is a test the teacher can give them before hand if they want or after. We respect the teacher.
>
> 3 - Good for them. They should encourage and
> respect others. Be smart, accomplished, and a good
> contributor. they do. Why would you assume otherwise perfect students would not encourage others - cooperation in the classroom is part of their grade(s) as is contribution. We are hitting it out of the park on this so we really do not need or want your advise.
>
> 4 - It is not only about you and your kids. Glad
> you all love learning, that does not excuse your
> kids from attending, participating, and I
> contributing to class.Based on their excellent grades and performance in school you would think they were born for it, but they were not. They were born to live in the world with their mom and dad and the short time on earth we have together. We dont worship school like a church (like you do apparently). They go and we follow the law and they are always in the top of the class and the top of testing (top 2%) in the Nation. Stop bitching at me about my kids and see if yours can keep up.
>
> 5 - Based on all you have written, you are not
> being ethical. What is the punishment? Going to
> class. There is a 1st world inconvenience. You are
> being selfish and putting the needs of others
> behind your wants. High test scores do not equal
> high ethical standards. Your posts prove this.Pulling one's top scholar kids for a day or two here and there for family time is unethical - you are unhinged. The one on one time we spend together as a family is selfish but its payoff is we produce great students that know how to love and care about family. School may be some martinet day care for people like you but we had children to experience all the love and joy that comes with them. You sound like a real bore. Try being with your kids instead of dropping them off at the factory every morning...
>
> There is so much more to say. Why would anyone
> want to be a teacher if all parents were like you
> and expected everyone to serve you? Thank goodness
> you are the exception, or at least a rarity. You
> say your family loves learning and education goes
> on all the time in your home. I would encourage
> you to homeschool. If you did, you could set up
> all the vacation days you want, and the rest of
> the kids could have teachers who focus on all of
> them, and not just your wants.

I think this is probably not a great time to be making this argument. The kids just all missed a ton of time for snow days and Spring Break is coming up.

Unless your kid is too sick to go to school I just don't see any reason not to be there. It's great that your kid is such an excellent, genius sort of student. But even the smart kids have projects and oral presentations to prepare, tests to take, literature to read, papers to write. Everyone is still in catch up mode and to choose to take a day off now in the middle of it all...probably not a great time to do that. Just sayin'.

Spring Break is right around the corner though. There will be more time off soon.

It really makes no sense.

There has to be some corollary between attendance records and the number of excused verses the number of unexcused absences. He prefers to mark a child unexcused. He even tried to reassure me that unexcused absences are not a big deal. He doesn't understand.

If my kids need to miss school, I have a conversation with them, and we make the decision together. I give them a note, they go to the attendance office, and are told it is unexcused. That their mother has not say. Implying I don't know what is best for them. and that they don't know what is best for themselves.

Now, if my children are causing the teachers extra work, or if the teacher is feeling disrespected, that will be part of the conversation. That I will not have. That would be rude to the teacher. But, I need to know.

he tyranny of doctor’s notes

Russell Saunders / April 3, 2012

This post is both an observation and a related query. I want to know if what I’m seeing is particular to my area, or if it’s happening all over the place.

As one might imagine, I see patients for all manner of medical complaint. Some of them are complicated and severe, and some are minor and self-limiting. Because common things are common (a medical truism, of which we are reminded in our training when we go off investigating bizarre and rare diagnoses), I see many more patients for the latter kind of problem than the former. Strictly speaking, a lot of people come in to see me for things that probably could have been monitored at home without medical attention. Mind you, I am not complaining about that fact, as these sorts of “bread and butter” visits are what keep a medical office’s doors open.

A large factor in parents’ decisions to bring their kids in for a visit is their own caution or anxiety. Educating parents about major vs. minor symptoms, what can be treated at home vs. what needs to be seen, etc is an important part of my job, as is allaying anxiety to whatever extent possible. Taking care of parents is as much (or more) a part of my job as taking care of the kids, which I think almost any honest pediatrician would say. If I didn’t like dealing with worried parents, I shouldn’t have entered the field.

That said, I have had a truly stupefying number of appointments that the parents themselves view as totally unnecessary. They don’t think their kid needs to be seen, and they know I don’t think so either. They’re missing work they don’t think they need to miss, and are languishing in my office for reasons they consider ridiculous.

Why are they there? Because their kid’s school demands a doctor’s note. Any absence attributed to illness must be verified by me, with a note documenting same. Otherwise it is unexcused, for which the student is penalized. It matters not if the illness is as minor as a cold, or if the student has an otherwise spotless attendance record. It makes no difference if the child was sent home by the school nurse (in which case a note stipulating that the child is well enough to return is required) or kept home at the parent’s discretion. Every absence requires a note, which requires a visit.

This is, of course, totally idiotic. I am providing a service when I see ill children, even if the illness is mild and the service is really for the worried parents. Those visits have value, even if they’re not “necessary.” A visit for the sole purpose of verifying the parent’s claim of sickness is a complete policy fail. It robs parents of their authority and subjugates them to the dictates of the educational bureaucracy. It contributes needlessly to medical costs and wastes everyone’s time. (Were I in cahoots with the local school nurses, I could not design a better kick-back scheme if I tried.)

When did this happen? I seem to recall that my mother’s say-so was enough to keep me home from school for a few days. I think a doctor’s note was required for lengthier absences, but for a day or so all that was necessary was for her to tell the school I was sick. When did this change?

An addition wrinkle to my observation is that it is not consistent with all parents/patients. My office is situated in an area with great socioeconomic diversity. Many of my patients attend the local exclusive and famous (you’ve heard of it) private school or the affluent public school nearby. Many of my other patients live in the much poorer surrounding areas, and attend the much less well-off schools. Whenever I offer a note to the wealthier parents, they wave it away. Apparently their word is still good. It is students who attend the less cushy schools who need the notes from me, and it is their parents whose authority has been usurped. If my observation is a true reflection of reality, then it reflects something disgraceful.

So, here comes the query — is this true where you live? If you have kids, can you keep them out of school for a day or two due to illness without needing to schlep them to the doctor? Or must you also procure a perfectly useless note from a medical provider? If so, how do you feel about this policy?

April 3, 2012 in healthcare policy.
Related posts

lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There has to be some corollary between attendance
> records and the number of excused verses the
> number of unexcused absences. He prefers to mark
> a child unexcused. He even tried to reassure me
> that unexcused absences are not a big deal. He
> doesn't understand.
>
> If my kids need to miss school, I have a
> conversation with them, and we make the decision
> together. I give them a note, they go to the
> attendance office, and are told it is unexcused.
> That their mother has not say. Implying I don't
> know what is best for them. and that they don't
> know what is best for themselves.
>
> Now, if my children are causing the teachers extra
> work, or if the teacher is feeling disrespected,
> that will be part of the conversation. That I
> will not have. That would be rude to the teacher.
> But, I need to know.

Sounds like the absences are just marked unexcused and no need to worry about making anything up.

to: this is incredible,

You are missing the point. I am not asking for special treatment. THIS is an ethical issue. read the posts again and try to retain the information before claiming I said something I did not.

How am I unethical? Look up the word and then get back to me. Do a little research. That is what school is supposed to teach you. You should gather information and present an argument that is based in facts.

and I never asked for special accommodations for my children.

By the way, if you have to call someone a name, like calling me a Troll, you have lost the argument. My mother taught me that when I was a child.

Look Barb! - you got some competition. lisah gonna steal your attention.

the number of excused verses the number of unexcused absences

Brown just isn't what it used to be...

to CV9pd,

Is that all you've got? a spelling correction? Why do you bother.

Get over it, it's FCPS policy. He obviously would have a valid reason to request doctor notes for every absence now. Your kid has most likely missed an excessive amount of days. Kids are required to attend school by law unless the absence is excused. The principal is only helping to enforce the law and by god try to get your kid educated so he isn't working at Mcdonalds at 45 years old requesting a 15 dollar minimum wage.

to Deep

What is so wrong about working at McDonalds

Stop insulting the working class

Do you work Lisah? Or is this sort of a hobby for you?

God damn it Lisah. I thought I told you to pipe down already.
Get a life and quit posting this stupid bullshit.
Fucking loser. Don't make me f you up.

to poster Dr. Scott Poole,

I like you

lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> to Deep
>
> What is so wrong about working at McDonalds
>
> Stop insulting the working class


nothing is wrong with working at McDonalds, but that is not supposed to be a career unless you go into management or ownership. For majority those type of jobs are to get your feet wet while bettering yourself and be a stepping stone to something else. Most everyone starts at the bottom and has to work their way up in life

to Deep

Not everybody is fortunate enough to have the same opportunities in life as others. They work at McDonalds to feed and take care of their family. They make take pride in their job and doing a good day work.

They should not have to take off work to get a doctor's note for their kid.
They want their children to be successful. and they probably have crappy insurance.

Or they will send their kid to school sick because they are afraid they will be failed by the administration for unexcused absences. Now the child and the parent feel powerless.

lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> to Deep
>
> Not everybody is fortunate enough to have the same
> opportunities in life as others. They work at
> McDonalds to feed and take care of their family.
> They make take pride in their job and doing a good
> day work.
>
> They should not have to take off work to get a
> doctor's note for their kid.
> They want their children to be successful. and
> they probably have crappy insurance.
>
> Or they will send their kid to school sick because
> they are afraid they will be failed by the
> administration for unexcused absences. Now the
> child and the parent feel powerless.

That is PURE RUBBISH and a POOR EXCUSE. Everyone has the same opportunities, the difference is how people use those opportunities to their advantage. It is the choices you make in life that gets you not only where you are but where you will end up.

People like you is what makes it seem normal, helping to make excuses, that they had no choice or no say in their future etc. I myself used to work at a Fast food place, but for only 2 years and moved on to something better and than finally now a Career. I had no helping hand, no foot in a door. I simply just made good choices in life.

>
> Or they will send their kid to school sick because
> they are afraid they will be failed by the
> administration for unexcused absences. Now the
> child and the parent feel powerless.


you do realize your kid has to attend school by law, the principal could make it even harder if he or she wants by starting a Truancy investigation and then you would have to prove and or verify that all abscense are valid in a court setting.

lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> to Deep
>
> Not everybody is fortunate enough to have the same
> opportunities in life as others. They work at
> McDonalds to feed and take care of their family.
> They make take pride in their job and doing a good
> day work.
>
> They should not have to take off work to get a
> doctor's note for their kid.
> They want their children to be successful. and
> they probably have crappy insurance.
>
> Or they will send their kid to school sick because
> they are afraid they will be failed by the
> administration for unexcused absences. Now the
> child and the parent feel powerless.

If a child is missing school for that many sick days the parent *should* take the kid to see a doctor. Something is wrong with the kid. Maybe the kid has asthma or a brain tumor or pneumonia or bad allergies or an infection of some sort that will not get better by laying around at home.

I've waited tables and had retail jobs before. You absolutely do not work 24/7, you work shifts and often fewer hours than a typical 40 hr work week. You absolutely can go to Urgent care if your kid is that sick all the time.

to deep

All people do not have the same opportunities.

and you are missing my point.

I don't think you get my point.

I'm sorry. I will not be responding to you again.

lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> to deep
>
> All people do not have the same opportunities.
>
> and you are missing my point.
>
> I don't think you get my point.
>
> I'm sorry. I will not be responding to you again.

sorry, your point is simply to troll nothing more

lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> to deep
>
> All people do not have the same opportunities.
>
> and you are missing my point.
>
> I don't think you get my point.
>
> I'm sorry. I will not be responding to you again.


Ilisah,


Do you do anal?

>
> Ilisah,
>
>
> Do you do anal?


if you do, what about 2 at a time?

Ghostbuddy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Ilisah,
> >
> >
> > Do you do anal?
>
>
> if you do, what about 2 at a time?


Are you suggesting that we both fuck Lisah at the same time?

If so, how about we all meet up at the Mcdonalds Bathroom at 3:30pm today?

Hmmmm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Meeting a minimum number of days is a requirement
> because of the total instructional hours. It's not
> a matter of "turning in all tests on time" to
> receive credit for a course, a student must be
> inside the classroom to be the receipient of the
> instruction. That's how credit hours are earned.
> Credit hours. Hours. Operative word = hours.
>
> Your parental right is to CHOOSE to put your kids
> in a private school (gasp! PAY tuition!)OR home
> school if your child needs it. Giving a child what
> they need to grow and flourish is the priority,
> not changing the meager attendance policy at the
> free public school system that works for 99.9% of
> everyone else's kids.
>
> PS. I sincerely hope your child is seeing a
> medical doctor.


If lost instructional hours were the actual issue, then Boosterthon could not be allowed to operate, as it consumes AT LEAST 9 instructional hours. Let's say a school has 250 students. At $13 per instructional hour, that's $29,250. Maybe that's pocket change to Karen Garza, but it does add up.

I think Dr. Poole is doing this because he CAN. No one in FCPS is accountable to anyone for anything. Ask, for example, why Dr. Garza spent money at Sea Pearl, and she won't answer. FCPS just expects the Board to hand over money, and the source of that money is taxpayers.

lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> By the way, if you have to call someone a name,
> like calling me a Troll, you have lost the
> argument. My mother taught me that when I was a
> child.

My children already have enough self realization to know Mr Poole is an idiot.

Are Barb Brown (music lady) and lisah the very same person? They both appear to have the exact same narcissistic personality disorder.

I would love to hear what Barb Brown has to say.

The tyranny of doctor’s notes

Russell Saunders / April 3, 2012

This post is both an observation and a related query. I want to know if what I’m seeing is particular to my area, or if it’s happening all over the place.

As one might imagine, I see patients for all manner of medical complaint. Some of them are complicated and severe, and some are minor and self-limiting. Because common things are common (a medical truism, of which we are reminded in our training when we go off investigating bizarre and rare diagnoses), I see many more patients for the latter kind of problem than the former. Strictly speaking, a lot of people come in to see me for things that probably could have been monitored at home without medical attention. Mind you, I am not complaining about that fact, as these sorts of “bread and butter” visits are what keep a medical office’s doors open.

A large factor in parents’ decisions to bring their kids in for a visit is their own caution or anxiety. Educating parents about major vs. minor symptoms, what can be treated at home vs. what needs to be seen, etc is an important part of my job, as is allaying anxiety to whatever extent possible. Taking care of parents is as much (or more) a part of my job as taking care of the kids, which I think almost any honest pediatrician would say. If I didn’t like dealing with worried parents, I shouldn’t have entered the field.

That said, I have had a truly stupefying number of appointments that the parents themselves view as totally unnecessary. They don’t think their kid needs to be seen, and they know I don’t think so either. They’re missing work they don’t think they need to miss, and are languishing in my office for reasons they consider ridiculous.

Why are they there? Because their kid’s school demands a doctor’s note. Any absence attributed to illness must be verified by me, with a note documenting same. Otherwise it is unexcused, for which the student is penalized. It matters not if the illness is as minor as a cold, or if the student has an otherwise spotless attendance record. It makes no difference if the child was sent home by the school nurse (in which case a note stipulating that the child is well enough to return is required) or kept home at the parent’s discretion. Every absence requires a note, which requires a visit.

This is, of course, totally idiotic. I am providing a service when I see ill children, even if the illness is mild and the service is really for the worried parents. Those visits have value, even if they’re not “necessary.” A visit for the sole purpose of verifying the parent’s claim of sickness is a complete policy fail. It robs parents of their authority and subjugates them to the dictates of the educational bureaucracy. It contributes needlessly to medical costs and wastes everyone’s time. (Were I in cahoots with the local school nurses, I could not design a better kick-back scheme if I tried.)

When did this happen? I seem to recall that my mother’s say-so was enough to keep me home from school for a few days. I think a doctor’s note was required for lengthier absences, but for a day or so all that was necessary was for her to tell the school I was sick. When did this change?

An addition wrinkle to my observation is that it is not consistent with all parents/patients. My office is situated in an area with great socioeconomic diversity. Many of my patients attend the local exclusive and famous (you’ve heard of it) private school or the affluent public school nearby. Many of my other patients live in the much poorer surrounding areas, and attend the much less well-off schools. Whenever I offer a note to the wealthier parents, they wave it away. Apparently their word is still good. It is students who attend the less cushy schools who need the notes from me, and it is their parents whose authority has been usurped. If my observation is a true reflection of reality, then it reflects something disgraceful.

So, here comes the query — is this true where you live? If you have kids, can you keep them out of school for a day or two due to illness without needing to schlep them to the doctor? Or must you also procure a perfectly useless note from a medical provider? If so, how do you feel about this policy?

April 3, 2012 in healthcare policy.

You posted that already. This woman has 2concerned written all over her.

lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The tyranny of doctor’s notes
>
> Russell Saunders / April 3, 2012
>
> This post is both an observation and a related
> query. I want to know if what I’m seeing is
> particular to my area, or if it’s happening all
> over the place.
>
> As one might imagine, I see patients for all
> manner of medical complaint. Some of them are
> complicated and severe, and some are minor and
> self-limiting. Because common things are common
> (a medical truism, of which we are reminded in our
> training when we go off investigating bizarre and
> rare diagnoses), I see many more patients for the
> latter kind of problem than the former. Strictly
> speaking, a lot of people come in to see me for
> things that probably could have been monitored at
> home without medical attention. Mind you, I am
> not complaining about that fact, as these sorts of
> “bread and butter” visits are what keep a
> medical office’s doors open.
>
> A large factor in parents’ decisions to bring
> their kids in for a visit is their own caution or
> anxiety. Educating parents about major vs. minor
> symptoms, what can be treated at home vs. what
> needs to be seen, etc is an important part of my
> job, as is allaying anxiety to whatever extent
> possible. Taking care of parents is as much (or
> more) a part of my job as taking care of the kids,
> which I think almost any honest pediatrician would
> say. If I didn’t like dealing with worried
> parents, I shouldn’t have entered the field.
>
> That said, I have had a truly stupefying number of
> appointments that the parents themselves view as
> totally unnecessary. They don’t think their kid
> needs to be seen, and they know I don’t think so
> either. They’re missing work they don’t think
> they need to miss, and are languishing in my
> office for reasons they consider ridiculous.
>
> Why are they there? Because their kid’s school
> demands a doctor’s note. Any absence attributed
> to illness must be verified by me, with a note
> documenting same. Otherwise it is unexcused, for
> which the student is penalized. It matters not if
> the illness is as minor as a cold, or if the
> student has an otherwise spotless attendance
> record. It makes no difference if the child was
> sent home by the school nurse (in which case a
> note stipulating that the child is well enough to
> return is required) or kept home at the parent’s
> discretion. Every absence requires a note, which
> requires a visit.
>
> This is, of course, totally idiotic. I am
> providing a service when I see ill children, even
> if the illness is mild and the service is really
> for the worried parents. Those visits have value,
> even if they’re not “necessary.” A visit
> for the sole purpose of verifying the parent’s
> claim of sickness is a complete policy fail. It
> robs parents of their authority and subjugates
> them to the dictates of the educational
> bureaucracy. It contributes needlessly to medical
> costs and wastes everyone’s time. (Were I in
> cahoots with the local school nurses, I could not
> design a better kick-back scheme if I tried.)
>
> When did this happen? I seem to recall that my
> mother’s say-so was enough to keep me home from
> school for a few days. I think a doctor’s note
> was required for lengthier absences, but for a day
> or so all that was necessary was for her to tell
> the school I was sick. When did this change?
>
> An addition wrinkle to my observation is that it
> is not consistent with all parents/patients. My
> office is situated in an area with great
> socioeconomic diversity. Many of my patients
> attend the local exclusive and famous (you’ve
> heard of it) private school or the affluent public
> school nearby. Many of my other patients live in
> the much poorer surrounding areas, and attend the
> much less well-off schools. Whenever I offer a
> note to the wealthier parents, they wave it away.
> Apparently their word is still good. It is
> students who attend the less cushy schools who
> need the notes from me, and it is their parents
> whose authority has been usurped. If my
> observation is a true reflection of reality, then
> it reflects something disgraceful.
>
> So, here comes the query — is this true where
> you live? If you have kids, can you keep them out
> of school for a day or two due to illness without
> needing to schlep them to the doctor? Or must you
> also procure a perfectly useless note from a
> medical provider? If so, how do you feel about
> this policy?
>
> April 3, 2012 in healthcare policy.

tl;dr


By the way Lisah, you never told me whether or not you do anal...

to personal vendetta

This is how it is done. You need to look for support and like minded people when you want to make change.

A lot of people have looked at these posts. Maybe someone would like to help.
I don't need a relationship with the administration.

Please Stop being so afraid.

I do have to say I am really surprised by the number of people who are so angry.

I just think the requirement for a doctor's note couldn't be productive in ANY scenario. It assumes the parent's don't know how to take care of their children. and now you can go ahead and tell me how terrible I am. Shoot.

FOX news has already picked this up. Not my first choice of news stations, but maybe they can spread the news.

That is how it is done. tada

It has nothing to do with the children. It's all about attendance rates and funding. I would guess.

Mr. scott poole could not give me any reason for requesting doctor's notes from parents other than "it is the law". Which is not true. So he didn't want to own it, and he kind of lied to me. Hoping I would give up and go away.

That is what I guess he was hoping everyone would do. I think he may be trying to bully the parents and the children. The Entire families. I can't be sure. Don't quote me on it.

This is ridiculous send your kid to the school .If the kids has a problem address it staying home and avoiding school is not the answer , maybe a therapist note will work for you . My favorite comment is the the one where the teach can provide the work and make up the assignment are you kidding me ???

If you have a job you have to go even if it not fun schools is the same . If you do not want to go home school but they have evrey right to ask for a note or fail you .

Woodson has the most crazy helicopter parents I have ever heard of I bet the original poster lives in Mantua.

lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Education is not just about learning material.
> It's also about teaching our children autonomy.
> and how to respect and care for themselves and
> other people. We teach each other how to be. My
> children already have enough self realization to
> know Mr Poole is an idiot. They don't respect
> him, He is just another example of jerks in this
> world that try to usurp what ever little control
> they have on us. It's like the cop you afraid to
> speak your mind to. You aren't quite sure what he
> has the authority to do to you. Well I know Poole
> has nothing. I'm just worried about the helpless
> parents and kids who don't know that.
>
> I have taught my children to trust themselves. If
> you feel you are being disrespected, you are.
> Don't doubt yourself. That is what bullys do
> They make you doubt yourself. They make you think
> it is you. They try to take control of you, make
> you afraid, change who you are.



You need to teach your children to behave and sometimes understand the rules are good for the whole and they are not special. I can not believe this is the most offensive problem you have regarding your principal . Your kids our in high school for gods sake I feel sorry for anyone who has to hire your poor children . Will you call the boss and demand they respect them ?

1) How many total days of school has your child been absent in the 2015-2016 school year? And what were the actual reasons for each day that your child did not attend?
2) How many days do you think a student should be allowed to be absent from school before admin takes notice and starts to investigate and/or play hardball? Keeping in mind the United States does have compulsory education laws.

^^ absolutely a Mantua parent! Good call.

That doctor above is full of shit. Students with spotless attendance records are not required to have a doctor's note. It's the TRUANTS who are required to document illnesses -- students who've missed more than 10 FULL school days. What kind of person gets that fucking sick all the time?

lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> to personal vendetta
>
> This is how it is done. You need to look for
> support and like minded people when you want to
> make change.
>
> A lot of people have looked at these posts. Maybe
> someone would like to help.
> I don't need a relationship with the
> administration.
>
> Please Stop being so afraid.
>
> I do have to say I am really surprised by the
> number of people who are so angry.
>
> I just think the requirement for a doctor's note
> couldn't be productive in ANY scenario. It
> assumes the parent's don't know how to take care
> of their children. and now you can go ahead and
> tell me how terrible I am. Shoot.
>
> FOX news has already picked this up. Not my first
> choice of news stations, but maybe they can spread
> the news.
>
> That is how it is done. tada

Afraid, not me. Ive had a principal removed from a school and it took 3 years and it wouldnt have happened if she had not tied her own noose. In retrospect I have truly mixed feelings about it but that principal was in over his/her head. You have your little Dr. note thing but it takes a lot more than that to warrant removing a principal my dear.

If you think anyone from this forum is going to follow you you are mistaken. If you think by High School there are any parents willing to go nuclear with you, you are mistaken. Most of us got that out of our systems by the time our kids left elementary school. Special needs kids are different, their parents need to fight all the way through public education - God bless them and keep them.

You are just a 'right fighter' pain in the ass.

Thanks for mentioning parents of special ed kids, iveeatenababy. If Lisah wants to see a real struggle, she should shadow these parents and the hoops they have to go through to get accommodations or services from the school system for their kids.

Entitled whiners drive me crazy. This woman could have approached the school system in a calm way and with respect, especially if she presented reasonable solutions in conjunction with a doctor. If that didn't work, and her child had legitimate physical or mental health problems, she could have applied for a 504 plan or an IEP. And if that didn't work, she could have worked with an educational consultant to find a way to get around the system. But you can't just scream at a principal that you have 'rights', that long-standing school policy is a matter of 'right and wrong', and you are going to throw a massive hissy fit if things don't go your way. That just pisses people off in the school system or anywhere else.

I was just putting it out there.

I can take care of the situation on my side.

Does anybody care about the families that can't?

So lisah lives in Mantua and sucked up too much of the tank farm fumes that still travel throughout the community.

That explains a lot.

Look, I enjoy a good parent vs FCPS rumble, but this is hardly news worthy.

Principals are required to enforce attendance rules. For snotty rich A kids and for other kids who people would label as at risk.

He cant ride the ass of the at risk kid who has missed school and might not graduate, and give a free pass for the self entitled kid with the nutty mom.

Lisah-- take up a real issue.

I hope your kid turns out normal.

+1

here goes Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Look, I enjoy a good parent vs FCPS rumble, but
> this is hardly news worthy.
>
> Principals are required to enforce attendance
> rules. For snotty rich A kids and for other kids
> who people would label as at risk.
>
> He cant ride the ass of the at risk kid who has
> missed school and might not graduate, and give a
> free pass for the self entitled kid with the nutty
> mom.
>
> Lisah-- take up a real issue.
>
> I hope your kid turns out normal.

tank farm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So lisah lives in Mantua and sucked up too much of
> the tank farm fumes that still travel throughout
> the community.
>
> That explains a lot.

If lisah is from Mantua that explains Everything. Everything. I have never met crazier, more entitled, more snobbish bunch, ever. When we went to Frost I was astounded at the self-importance and sense of superiority exhibited by parents from Mantua. Jesus, you would think we were all put on this God's Earth to admire the Mantua parent. By far the biggest nut-job Ive ever met in the PTA is from Mantua. Get a grip lisah, families with 1/8 your means are used to working with people one-on-one as human beings not with your attitude everyone in the world is your personal assistant/butler. PS if you do live in Mantua you and your entire family are toking carcinogenic benzine 24/7. yum yum

lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> and what about the parents who don't know how to
> fight Mr. Poole's mandate for doctor's notes,
> They are most likely not as educated or may not
> speak English well enough to tell him to F
> himself, They are afraid for their children.
>
> I think you would be hard pressed to find a parent
> that doesn't care about their kids at Woodson.
> Some parents may have moved from other countries
> just to give their kids better opportunities then
> they had growing up.
>
> Now these parents are going to take off work and
> bring their sick kid to the doctor for a headache.
> The probably don't have good insurance and now
> they are missing work. Or, they are going to drop
> their kid off, once again, at Mr. Poole's feet.
> Sick and dejected. Powerless.





This is so condescending sounds like you have a personal vendetta If your disappointed with your child not going to class do not blame others or by trying to justify it by pretending you care about all children DO not speak for other parents. My kids go to Woodson and I am fine with this . If your really feels this way home school .

parentffffff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> lisah Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > and what about the parents who don't know how
> to
> > fight Mr. Poole's mandate for doctor's notes,
> > They are most likely not as educated or may not
> > speak English well enough to tell him to F
> > himself, They are afraid for their children.>
>
>
>
> This is so condescending sounds like you have a
> personal vendetta If your disappointed with your
> child not going to class do not blame others or
> by trying to justify it by pretending you care
> about all children DO not speak for other parents.
> My kids go to Woodson and I am fine with this . If
> your really feels this way home school .

Agreed, lisah believes she is somehow endowed with some special courage and intelligence to 'handle' this situation. Everyone that suggests tact and strategy are 'afraid' - what a joke.

lisah, you my dear are the one that should be worried. If your ham-handed, condescending handling of this here on this site is any indication of your abilities Id turn this one over to hubby, or your daughter or your cat - anyone but you. You are going to be so 'brave and brilliant' you get your child expelled.

Its all about YOU YOU YOU. YOU are so special and smart. This all has zero to do with your daughter and everything to do with you feeling slighted by a very busy person trying to evenly and justly administer rules to the best of his ability. Is he perfect, no. But Id take 100 of him before suffering one of you.

Where is Mantua anyway?

samedude Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Where is Mantua anyway?

Off 236 in Fairfax down the street from Fair City mall.

What evidence do you have that "it's all about...funding?" Sounds like it is about your kid burdening teachers and disrupting other students and has nothing to do with funding. The school gets the $ anyway.

lisah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It has nothing to do with the children. It's all
> about attendance rates and funding. I would
> guess.
>
> Mr. scott poole could not give me any reason for
> requesting doctor's notes from parents other than
> "it is the law". Which is not true. So he didn't
> want to own it, and he kind of lied to me. Hoping
> I would give up and go away.
>
> That is what I guess he was hoping everyone would
> do. I think he may be trying to bully the parents
> and the children. The Entire families. I can't
> be sure. Don't quote me on it.

I suspect the problem here is the student is having problems at school. The parent keeps her kid home to help and the school only sees 1. the kid is absent a lot 2. the child is not doing well or is declining in school 3. there is no medical reason for the absences.

To the parent - keeping your kid home may or may not help but consulting a medical professional about the situation would solve the school problem and most likely benefit you and your child. If you are opposed to medical doctors or shrinks get a note from your pastor. If you are Atheist just send in $50 bucks to a website and found your own church.

Dr. Poole probably is lying - he probably has students with more absences but they are doing well and he knows their parents are fit to be parents. OP, not so much. In fact OP may be ruining it for the other parent that can manage to have their kids out a little more than normal but the kids do really well.

Lisah I think you are unhinged. I stumbled upon this string and im stunned. Let me call him mr instead of dr as a sign of childish disrespect. Let me blame him for suicides that happened years before he arrived. Let me call myself a fan, as opposed to what I truly am, an overzealous parent who is out to inflict personal hardship and is out of control. You have every right to fight through proper channells, being an Internet troll shouldnt be one of them.

If you read through posts asides from yours you will see you have no support in your fight. If you want to continue please do, but do it through proper FCPS channells and not threats and posts. You say DR Poole is bullying you, I'd say it's the other way around . I feel bad for your kids, because your helicopter mom treatment won't serve them well in the real world after school is over.

Take your fight offline and stop being one of the worst parents known to fcps

I know who Lisah is. Where she lives. Who her kids are. I know her financial status, her mental history, and her religious beliefs.
I KNOW. EVERYTHING.
Cease and desist. NOW.

Where did Lisah go? Is she still working on behalf of those who do not speak English very well or are not as capable and savvy as she? I can see that was her motivation all along.