Sarasota County school system can kiss my ass.
I was writing up my post last night, I kept getting interrupted, it's in draft, it's ok, trust me, a post in draft is probably the best damn thing going at the minute.
Because of Sarasota County's Zero Tolerance Policy against drugs, what you see above which includes OTC drugs of any kind including Tylenol, Advil, and oh heaven forbid, a prescription medication for migraines.
Sebastian has missed some school, but I have sent him with a note the very next day, as the school tells us to do, every single time he has a migraine and has had to miss a day here and there for it.
We went through this last year, and seriously debated doing the ol' cough and swallow so he wouldn't miss any days of school at all.
In yesterday's mail, I received a letter from the truancy officer for Sarasota County.
The letter states that Sebastian has missed 87 days of school this year.
He has not.
From the first day back in January after Christmas break, until about 3-4 weeks ago, a certain teacher was intentionally marking him as skipping her 7th period class.
He wasn't skipping her class, he transferred out of it before Christmas break, but apparently, no one notified the teacher, so she marked him as absent from her class every single day, and those missed classes got marked as unexcused, and those absences now count against his absences for the year, so for a total of 87 FULL DAYS MISSED, out of 156 full-time class days.
I called the school, spoke to Dr. Moore, the vice principal in charge of attendance, and she said if Sebastian misses even 1 more day, she's expelling him and making sure that I go to court for failure to make my child get an education.
I asked her what I am supposed to do if he has a severe migraine and because of the zero tolerance policy, he cannot take his prescription meds every 4 hours as prescribed, nor can he have any Tylenol or Advil to even try to fight the migraine off so he doesn't miss school, what am I supposed to do Dr. Moore? Tell me what I'm supposed to do? Send him to school suffering with a migraine that blinds him and every sound makes him feel as though his head is going to explode, please tell me what I'm supposed to do, what would you like me to do Dr. Moore?
Her answer to me was "I have other important things to deal with, but if he misses even 1 more day, he's expelled, and you will be going to court."
Click.
She hung up.
I am so so upset right now, I can barely breathe.
I've been crying non-stop since this morning being called a liar, (the liar thing has to do with this as well, but it's a long story, and I am so fucking upset I just don't even want to type anymore right now) and my blood pressure is through the roof.
My friend showed up here when she called just to say hi, and I could barely even speak, so she brought over her cuff and my BP is 162 over 101, probably the highest it's been in months, and I'm so fucking upset, I can't get myself calmed down, this situation is a huge mess, they won't correct the wrong amount of days absent, they are making threats, and last night, my ankles and feet started to swell up bad, but now they are like swollen to super size and are extremely painful because they are blood clots, and because my BP is up racing, the blood clots are just building up even more rapidly than normal.
I'm so lost on what the fucking hell I'm supposed to do!
What the fuck am I supposed to do!!!
Comments
I would contact a lawyer. One specializing in child advocacy.
Posted by: AmyKate | May 6, 2010 1:32 PM
I second what AmyKate says, and do it soon!
Posted by: jimm | May 6, 2010 2:21 PM
Kat, you need to go above the school itself, call the district office and tell them your situation, why your Son has been marked absent and that he is no longer in that class but continue to miss and marked unexcused, on their mistake.
If your Son has a medical excuse..THEY CANNOT expel him. Absolutely cannot. If they do then they are the ones denying him his education. And isn't school almost over with? I'm not sure when your Son's last day of school is. I know my Son's last day is the 21st of May. To me that's early...but it also get very, very warm here.
Best advice, go get em' Kat and show them who is boss. You don't have to put up with that kind of unprofessionalism.
Posted by: Christie | May 6, 2010 2:55 PM
Sooner than soon--do it NOW!
Posted by: Blurf | May 6, 2010 3:21 PM
I agree that you need an attorney. You should qualify for Legal Aid, given your income. This is inexcusable.
Posted by: Christine | May 6, 2010 5:30 PM
Kat,
In this school district(which I am graduating out of in less than 20 days @#%^ YEA!) we use an online software to track attendance. Teachers take attendance before class begins and input it into their computer. You cannot be enrolled in two sections that meet in the same hour, the software will not allow it. Sounds like they take attendance by hand or something there...because that is just weird.
You also sound like you have a "Mrs. H" principal. "Mrs. H" is a Vice Principal here that EVERYONE hates. When the students, teachers and parents hate you....then something is going very wrong. Try meeting with the principal stating that the VP was unable to resolve the situation. I cannot believe the teacher wouldn't correct the absences though. That's just stupid.
Good luck! If all else fails just send a letter saying you will sue the school. I have done it to my high school and school district before, gets the job done.
Last story....I was being bullied by these idiot kids. They were throwing mulch at me, punching me, etc. I had witnesses. I printed off the Personal Protection Order forms and filled them out. The Vice Principal had been blowing me off. I went one day and waited for her to see me. I showed her the forms and stated that if she was unable to help me I would be seeking the assistance of the court to deal with her students. It motivated her to assist me and the problem went away. :)
Posted by: Ryan | May 6, 2010 5:43 PM
I agree with everything everyone above me has said. Lawyers, media attention....should be enough to make them correct their mistake. People like that need to lose their jobs!
Posted by: This Belle Rocks | May 6, 2010 9:31 PM
I agree, get a lawyer and call the district office. They shouldn't be allowed to just blow you off like that! That's messed up!
Posted by: Kimberly Atkins | May 6, 2010 9:53 PM
Can you take him out of school and let him finish online? I have a nephew that was expelled and he finished school on the florida online school. I know it's not what you want, but maybe for Sebastian'
s sake it would be better?
Posted by: Anonymous | May 7, 2010 5:39 AM
Call you local action reporter for your local news station, tell them and hopefully they will do a story on it on tv. That will get them to back off really quick once they meet you and your situation (sorry sounds bad, but true). You have a very hard time on your hands with your physical limitations.
Posted by: Me | May 7, 2010 5:47 AM
It's it great to see our tax dollars at work. I'm fighting with our local public school to get Will the services he is federally mandated to get. Of course, they won't call me back.
Like everybody else said -- call the principal and start working your way up the ladder.
Posted by: Lisa | May 7, 2010 8:45 AM
holy crap Kat. Ms. VP from hell is going to drive you into an early grave what with all the stress she's put you and your boys through. Thank god Mark is out of there. Heads need to roll at that school starting with the VP and then the idiot teacher who keeps marking Sebastion absent.
Posted by: Linda | May 7, 2010 11:08 AM
wow, that is total bs!! calm down hunny! that is so messed up!!!! getting your self sick though isnt good! i can tell you right now CALL THE SCHOOL BOARD, OR SCHOOL DISTRICT! TELL THEM WHAT HAPPEND WITH PRINCEPAL THEN EXPLAIN TO THEM THE TRUTH. cant they look at the class he transferred too and see that he was in school all those days!! call them!! so sorry hunny!! hugs
Posted by: beth | May 7, 2010 7:59 PM
Just suppose for a second that he actually did miss all those days. Why would the school wait to the last opportunity to contact you? I agree with the others about finding some legal help. Hang in there, Kat.
Posted by: Ann | May 7, 2010 8:00 PM