No Way!!

This afternoon I got Wyatt's report card in the mail. He had maintained A's and B's throughout the year and had passed all of his end of grade testing so I figured he was all set to go to 5th grade next year. But when I looked at the promotion status, it said he was being retained. So, I immediately called the school and asked them to explain this horrible mistake to me. There was a long pause and then the counselor said "Well.... there doesn't appear to be anything incorrect. The school's absence policy is that students may have 4 unexcused absences and according to Wyatt's records, he missed 6 which results in automatic failure of his current grade." Yes, Wyatt did miss 6 days but those were the 6 days he was in the hospital after being diagnosed with Type 1 and if I'm not mistaken excused includes medical related absences. So she said "You're correct but medical diagnosis themselves don't count. Also, part of those 6 days in the hospital were education about his care-he wasn't actually ill." You don't call a blood sugar over 800 ill??? I talked with the principal who said we could meet tomorrow morning to discuss it further but that he didn't think there was much he could do. I am in total disbelief right now.

 

Please tell me you are joking, right!?

That is insane and I would be fighting it with every bone in my body.

Good luck!

 

That is so wrong! I pray that the principal with listen to you!

 

How frustrating when this happens! Hopefully talking to the principal will work.

I would get a 504 in place for next year -- you may have thought it safe, but you are not the first one who wished for a 504 after the fact.

 

How frustrating when this happens! Hopefully talking to the principal will work.

I would get a 504 in place for next year -- you may have thought it safe, but you are not the first one who wished for a 504 after being in a nearly identical situation.

 

You fight this!! Unreal!!!!! Get notes from dr hospital etc...whatever it takes...this is insane...Im sorry you have to go through this..are they crazy??

 

Oh hell no, they should excuse that!

BTW, I went to Weston. Is this a Weston school? Do they know there's a cluster study on type 1 going on there? Do we have to rally the Weston community?

 

THAT is absolutely mad. I don't have much specific help since I'm not in the US, but I wish you the best of luck for fighting this.

 

I've never heard of these absence limits before. That is not only completely unfair, it's completely illogical.

Heck, we pulled all our kids out of school for a week for a family vacation a couple of time! If their grades continue to be good, what on earth is the problem?

 

I would call the Superintendent of Schools and get the School Board involved as well...even before you see the principal!! I am absolutely floored at their response! I cannot even IMAGINE how you must feel.

Please know you have people from all of the world here to support you!

 

I can't put down the words that are going thru my head right now.
That is just insane.

 

What makes an absence "unexcused"?

 

That is crazy!

 

I hope that you get some answers at your meeting tomorrow. That is a very strict policy regardless of a medical dx. There must be exceptions. Sending good thoughts your way.

 

Call the ADA NOW!

 

Get extensive documentation from the Dr, hospital and anywhere else. Send copies to the principal, local superintendent, local school board, state superintendent, and the governor's office.

This failure to promote is totally inexcusable on their part. If they claim - "you did not write a note..." - tell them you were in shock from the experience but assumed that they were well aware of the medical issue at hand.

 

As an educator myself, I can only say, "what the %$%^ is wrong with those people!!!"

This is discrimination, pure and simple. I would politely, but firmly, impress upon the principal the need for compassion, decency and a sense of reasonableness on the part of the school district. Failing that I would let him know that diabetes is defined by the Office of Civil Rights as a hidden disability and that I will take whatever steps are necessary in order to protect my son's civil rights.

I'd also let him know that I will contact the local media in order to shine a light on the district's practices. Trust me, district administration hates that.

This is why my son has a 504 plan that states he will not be penalized for issues of work completion relating to health issues and that evidence of health issues may be provided by us. He must be given whatever time is needed in order to complete missed work.

 

It was said before. Call the ADA. This is discriminatory.

 

Please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (342-2383) and ask to speak to a Legal Advocate about your situation.

 

I asked the exact same question and they have yet to give me a straight answer. They said "the status of absences is dealt with on a case by case basis". But, his school has an absence line that you call when your child will be absent where you leave any information about your child's health condition that is causing the absence. I left them a message from the hospital where I explained that he had been dx'd with T1. I figured that would be enough of an explanation for the absence and a clue that he was obviously sick and should be excused but I guess not.