Jackson Jambalaya

There is nothing wrong with a parent taking their kid out a day early for a spring break trip, or a day early to go with others who are already out on Friday. Just make it an unexcused absence. The district should have a policy of "X" number of days of unexcused absences, and after that, any tests given the day of an unexcused absence, you miss it, you get a zero.

No kid can concentrate the day before spring break in any school.

KingFish, you can schedule all the tests you want on the day before a break, but don't think the Real problem is going to go away. The culture of low achievement(often the same as the culture of violence) will still be there.

Slacker parents (often babies who had babies)who do nothing to encourage/support/reinforce their kids interest/commitment to getting an education will still be there. You will still have dreg students (and parents)...too dumb to recognize an opportunity for better things.

The problem is NOT the teachers and administrators (and I am absolutely no fan of public schools...at all). It IS the culture from which these students and parents crawl.

Districts get their state money based on daily school attendance for a reason. Its certainly a way to gauge local support, student learning, and perhaps teacher quality.

Kingfish, you say that everyone showed up for your exam at MC at 2:00 on Friday. That is because they wanted to learn and achieve. I don't know this superintendent, and odds are that he is incompetent. However, you can't MAKE them learn. You can schedule a test for that day and many still won't show. They will take the F and move on. Many students are just sitting in class, waiting to turn 15 so they can drop out and walk the streets for the rest of their lives dealing drugs and living off the government. It's a bad problem and it's not getting better. Of course, throwing more money at the situation certainly is not the answer.

The super can't make students attend class. No matter how many test they schedule. Parenting isn't the same as it was a generation ago. Parents think its ok to miss a certain number of days. The amount of single parent homes today compared to the 70's and 80's is greater. Single parent homes have less discipline. I know few parents that even make their kids go to bed at a reasonable hour. The school system today deals with much greater obstacles than they did 20-30 years ago. Will scheduling testing the day before a break help? Maybe, but I'm betting it would be a small help. And it's not the real problem. The problem is the home where the children come from.

It's too bad we don't tie the amount of a government check into the children's school attendance, grades, community service, etc....

Then they fail. Time to start applying some real consequences. About time we started realizing education is not a right but a privilege.

We need to put Big Gulp Phil on this now that he has finally solved important problems like drink size and alternative prayer in schools.

I hate to tell you, but the same thing happens in private schools where parents are motivated and supportive of their kids getting a good education. They also want to get a day up on Spring Break.

10:24
There are plenty of children that can concentrate on their work all day on the Friday before Spring Break begins on Monday. It would appear that, either you are one of the parents that condones the practice, or you don't have any children. To say that students should be given "x" number of unexcused absences before they pay any real price for being slackers is asinine.

who cares? you either pass the test or you don't. my college teachers did not care how many times you missed. you either master the material or you don't. ITS NOT ABOUT JUST SHOWING UP SO WE GET MORE FUNDS. but the system is beyond repair, you reap what you sow.

@12:43

I had one child in private and one in public, and BOTH schools' attendance was very thin the day before spring break, whether it was Thursday or Friday.

And, both schools had 2 or 3 days of unexcused absences, which most parents used for trips, not for letting kids be slackers.

I really don't get the "Spring Break Thing"

I grew up the child of a blue collar family that could not afford to spend money on non-essentials like extra time off.

I think the spring Break is again for the educators who want time off with pay.

It's stupid to schedule a test in order to ensure attendance. Makes no sense.

For those who don't understand the culture of expecting a certain number of days off, look to your own place of employment. It's rare that a place of business does not have an entire workforce that concentrates on how many days they can get off, how often they can be late, how many vacation days or holidays the employer will have next year and always demanding more and more. Sick leave with pay is not mandatory in this state yet, nor does the FMLA require paid time off. But, just wait till Obama tackles THIS issue. When parents revolve around that kind of motivation, whatta ya expect from the youngans?

Wow, if Mr. Handley is reading this, he will have a supply of new excuses.

It is obvious that none of you have worked in a school (private or public). Teachers get paid for the days they work under their contract. That amount is divided into twelve equal payments. They do not get paid for holidays or other assigned days off. As for the students not attending, maybe the district is somewhat to blame, but not entirely. If the school is open, the teachers are present, the cafeteria serves food and the bus goes by the student's house, I cannot assign the total blame on the school if the child fails to attend.

If you work in a school, 4:07, you should know that the proper grammar would be 'none of you HAS worked in a school'. Which school does you work at?

It is widely asserted that none is equivalent to no one, and hence requires a singular verb and singular pronoun: (none has).

And just what do you think a "real" doctor's excuse is??? All the child has to do is show up at any emergency room for "treatment" and once "treated," they can get a doctor's excuse for work or school. Caps on excused and unexcused absences went away a LONG time ago, which is the very reason why my mother retired from a lengthy teaching career before she really wanted to. It was absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to fail her students. She taught 9th-12th grades in a course that had to be passed in order to graduate. She walked out the door the day she was told, yes told, by her principal that she had to pass a student who had missed a total of 61 days in her class (all excused, mind you) and had an average of a 48. The student passed the 12th grade and graduated high school.

.....and is now in the legislature.

I'm dealing with that now and the student is the child of Jackson's city council. We have been bullied into passing her regardless of her attendance or tenacity to complete assignements (and they have her in honors classes!!!!!!)

@Burned Out:
"The child of Jackson's city council"
Really? Here's hoping you teach neither English nor Biology.

"The child of Jackson's city council"

Frightening phrase....sounds like a bad science fiction movie.