On Mon, 05 Feb 2007 12:58:02 -0700, Just Wondering
wrote:

Larry wrote:
I think the $500 fine is ridiculous, but there are other ways
to encourage parents to meet with teachers. Parents are
"inconvenienced" (Certainly not the word I would choose, I think
"obligated" is more accurate) in all kinds of ways while raising their
kids. I would look at the way schools (in my area anyway) handle
vaccinations as a guide. If a kid doesn't have proper vaccinations,
he or she cannot attend school. If enough time passes without
the child in school, the truancy laws kick in.


First, vaccination is a public health issue, the rationale for requiring
them is to protect al the students from potential epidemics. There is
no similar public health issue respecting parents meeting with teachers.
Second, at least in my state, parents can affirmative refuse to have
their children vaccinated, and the schools have to take them anyway.


The $500 fine could certainly be construed as unreasonable, but IMHO
keeping a child out of school until a parent meets with his or her
teacher or a school official is certainly a reasonable action.

The goal of education is, well, to educate. Please explain how
suspending a child from school as a bludgeon to force parents to meet
with teachers furthers that goal.


Given that most likely the purpose for the "conference" is to resolve a
behavioral problem, the suspending of that child's access to school is
going to facilitate the education of the remaining children in that child's
classes.



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If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough

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