Who are we to understand the great minds that govern our children in the public school system?
During most of last week our oldest was ill with the original, one-and-only, everybody’s favorite…flu. Not the stomach flu, but the flu that killed millions of Europeans a life time or two ago. (It’s a good thing she isn’t European…or Californian for that matter—everything seems to kill those folks off e.g. paint thinner, rubber cement, shampoo, Tootsie Rolls….) As such, we found it prudent to keep her contagious little self at home.
It wasn’t until Friday, when her temperature hit 104˚ that we took her to the doctor to discover the wonderful news. The doctor did say that she should be able to return to school on Monday. Yesterday was Monday and we sent her to school because she was feeling better. Little did we know that the school has a little policy that I like to call “My PhD qualifies me.” (See. It’s framed, hanging on the wall. I know children. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.) Because our daughter had missed three consecutive days of school, she was not allowed to sit with her class during lunch. (Hello! She’s with them in the classroom!) In the lunch room they have a special reserved spot for kids who have missed three days or more of school. Our daughter had to eat at a small little table all by herself so that no one would come in contact with her germs. School lunch time is the only time the kids have to interact with each other outside of class (recess does not exist in Lubbock). So her first day back was not the best day back.
1 comment:
Yeah. When my kids used to attend public schools every miniscule elevated temperature, cough, or belly ache was treated as emergency trauma. I can't tell you how many calls I got from the school nurse to immediately pick up my kid with a 99 degree fever, despite me protesting how ridiculous that is.
My daughter has intermittent asthma and brought her inhaler to check in with the school nurse without me. I was rewarded with a lengthy legal form and phone call from the Principal berating me about how children shouldn't have drugs without parental supervision.
Thanks lawyers for making our lives that much more complicated!
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