the mom of a sick little boy

At McGees Crossroads Middle school
Due to the H1N1 outbreak, I kept my child home from school for 5 days after receiving a letter from the school asking the parents to keep any sick child home which included a fever. They could return to school after they were without a fever for 24 hours. My son came down with a fever on a Sunday night, so I kept him home from school the next morning. By Wednesday, the fever was still high, so I called the school and let them know that he was sick and may not be in the rest of the week. I got his teachers to gather his school work for the week, and picked it up. By the next Monday, my son was able to go back to school. I sent in a letter (even though I had already contacted the school the prior week) and he turned in his school work. I then received a letter in the mail that same week stating that because there was no doctor’s excuse his absences were unexcused. I then called the school again and explained to them again why he was out. That the doctor’s office was very busy taking care of sick children and they didn't need a child with only a fever that they couldn't help to take up their time. To make a long story short, to no avail, I haven't gotten any help, the principal still hasn't returned my calls, and the deputy superintendent is saying that he will “try” to get the principal to call me. Meanwhile report cards come out on MONDAY!!!! Please, help me; the public schools have taken away all of the parents’ rights.... why do I not have the right to doctor my child how I see fit. He didn't need to go to the doctors for a fever, and I felt it wasn't safe to send him to school with the scare of H1N1 everywhere. Now MY SON is getting punished for being SICK!!!!! and me taking caution! Please, we have to stop this. I beg you, help me. Thank you for your time, Mrs. Nikki Barden

 

whoaaaaa spamhorse. Whoa there.


Chill on posting it in EVERY forum, please. Pick one.

 

wral just had a segment on a JoCo mother of the Riverwood middle schooler that was complaining also, altho it sounded like she had the dr's note - anyway it sounds like the media has brought it to the attention of JoCo board of ed, so maybe they'll be making some exceptions to the current rule concerning absenteeism for this flu season.

 

Same exact thing happened to a friend of mine w/ Cleveland Middle School. Go back a page or two on the threads & see if you can find it. There were a few responses. Truly sad for the kids if they're doing the work & then being punished for being sick. A few on that thread said to contact the school board. Good luck.

Stephanie--mom to 7

 

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/6349561/

 

I think I would find myself sitting in the principle's office until I got the attention I deserved. It is not right that they can ignore your calls. Take a book, a bottle of water and plan on sitting for a bit. Usually early morning is the best because they do not want you to make a scene in front of the other parents.

I have had the principle not return my calls once, and I was very nice, the ladies in the office asked me who I wanted to see, I told them the principle and sat down prepared to wait. They asked if I had an appointment and I said no, I would wait until he had a minute. Needless to say it was less than 10 minutes, the time it took for the principle to walk from one end of the campus to the office.:mrgreen:

It is just a suggestion, hope you get it worked out...

 

This sounds like the H1N1 by the way, my boys just got over it, I'm still working on it.

 

Uh-oh, I'm scared now. My daughter was out 3 days last week, got better and had to miss 3 days this week due to a high fever. She did go to the doctor but I didn't get a note. I guess I'll find out what happens. The crazy thing is the doctor had no idea what she has. Her only sympton is fever.

 

That is totally unbelievable and wrong - with all the hype in the media and the schools about staying home if you are sick or running a fever due to the Swine Flu outbreak, how can they in all fairness penalize a child for doing exactly what they were told to do and the parent warned to Good luck and stay on them, maybe even contact the other parent at Riverwood, whatever it takes to get this corrected.

Wow, our schools sure are causing a lot of threads here lately - what in the world is going on with them????

 

She missed the Cat/Dog Forum!

 

We finally got the waiver form to sign for my middle schooler. Unlike others on here, we did not receive a letter from the county or even from the school about his absences. This tells me that the principal makes all the difference. On his waiver form there was a statement that parents should send a detailed letter if they did not have doctor's notes and the child had the flu. Just that statement sends a message of understanding on his school's part. I still do not know if the waiver was approved, but he had several doctor's notes on file, so I am not worried. I think other principals could take a clue from our principal's response to this situation.

 

On top of that you can not go to the hospital to see a loved one and many pediatricians, when you call for an appointment will not see you. :banghead: So what are we to do?

 

LOL

 

Urgent care, minute clinic...no appointment needed. BTW, if your pediatrician will not see you the same day, get a new pediatrician.

 

kinda like Edmundson's ???

 

I am sure the problem is the ones that will abuse the system and take a vacation or something like that and call it H1N1. Sounds like the old "punish all for what the few do" theory.

 

<snip>

One size fits all policies are taking the place of common sense.

Four days per nine weeks is absolutely ridiculous, not to mention completely unrealistic!!!

 

I know of a family that did just that..went out of town for what they called "educational" trip and came back and the whole family was out with the flu...so what is the school suppose to think?
I'm big on attendance with my daughter, unless she is sick she is in school. Dr. Appt, Dentist are made after school is out. Or on a day they get out early..sometimes that doesn't work for others, works fine for me.
Thank god she is one of the few that doesn't get sick a lot..knock on wood.

 

Most peds do not want you to bring your flu-symptom child to their office because of the risk of infecting other patients, and the risk of making them sicker.

 

It is my understaning if it is the flu, there is not much the Ped can do for you and taking your child to the doc could result in spreading the virus to other patients and the staff at the office. This I understand, as well as not being able to visit patients in a hospital - same reasoning - the flu could kill an already sick, weak patient.