Why would somebody stress about reporting their kid’s absence from school? Or is that one of those Orwellian American things where you get arrested if you don’t?
Yes. An acquaintance had to answer to Child Protective Services because they had a family trip to their home country and their kids missed 4 days of school without warning.
This happened all the time in my home country and no one batted an eye. The homeroom teacher just wrote up the tally towards the maximum allowable absence days, and informed the student and their parents via the booklet about the remaining days, which when exceeded, would automatically result in repeat of the school grade or expulsion (past the age of 16).
In America, not every school is staffed to the point where they can have someone sit on phones all day. Most schools around me are working on shoestring budgets, and I’m in a fairly cosmopolitan area of California. It’s even worse if you’re in a rural area because there’s no incentive to get good teachers there through pay rates or bonuses or anything like that. God help your kids if you’re in a red state. They are giving emergency teaching credentials to anyone with a pulse.
Why would somebody stress about reporting their kid’s absence from school? Or is that one of those Orwellian American things where you get arrested if you don’t?
Yes. An acquaintance had to answer to Child Protective Services because they had a family trip to their home country and their kids missed 4 days of school without warning.
Ok, a whole family with school aged children disappearing for 4 days without warning anyone is legitimately concerning for the school
This happened all the time in my home country and no one batted an eye. The homeroom teacher just wrote up the tally towards the maximum allowable absence days, and informed the student and their parents via the booklet about the remaining days, which when exceeded, would automatically result in repeat of the school grade or expulsion (past the age of 16).
It is. But only in the US this story ends with cops.
Maybe I’m in the wrong here, but… why not call and let the school know?
You’re missing the point. Why didn’t the school call before calling CPS and the cops on them?
In America, not every school is staffed to the point where they can have someone sit on phones all day. Most schools around me are working on shoestring budgets, and I’m in a fairly cosmopolitan area of California. It’s even worse if you’re in a rural area because there’s no incentive to get good teachers there through pay rates or bonuses or anything like that. God help your kids if you’re in a red state. They are giving emergency teaching credentials to anyone with a pulse.
It’s called anxiety. A lot of people have it; even us Orwellian Americans. 🙄