Glen wrote:

If I make am appointment with either my dentist or my doctor and I break
the appointment and I fail to call to cancel the appointment I am
charged for the office call anyway. To me, this seems fair. I have
wasted his time and time is money. I have had the problem, pre-cell
phone, when a problem on the freeway or something similar caused me to
be too late to make the appointment and after explaining the situation,
they waived the fee. Also fair. As a teacher, I believe that my time is
as important as my dentist's or my doctor's time. The parent should
either call or not make the appointment. As for the parent being
"ordered to attend a meeting," I know of no state where a teacher can
make such a demand. If you know of one, please share it with me.

If you make an appointment with your dentist and doctor and he keeps you
cooling your heels in the reception area for a half hour, then spends
two hours giving you another half-hour's worth of attention, does he pay
you back for the two hours of your lost time? NO? I thought not.

If you as a teacher made an appointment with a parent, and he appeared
on time but had to leave without seeing you because you kept him waiting
for a half hour and he had another commitment on his time, should you
pay HIM $500 for missing the appointment? Would YOU willingly accept
such an arrangement?