Just Wondering wrote:
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.

Unfortunately, no. But I do believe if my wait is not due to an
emergency situation, he should.
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?

I would jump at the chance! Thirty two years I have been teaching, and
I have NEVER missed a scheduled parent conference, but I have been stood
up countless times. Every time the conference was scheduled by the parent.

Glen