Dear State of Texas,

Thank you for taking the time to send me three letters, one for each of my school aged children, to let me know that they have a high number of absences.

I understand that in pursuant to Section §25.095 of the Texas Education Code, that I am hereby advised that if a student has unexcused absences from school for 10 or more days or parts of days within a six (6 – in case I can not spell) month period in the same school year, or for three (3 – in case I can not spell again) or more days or parts of days within a four (4 – because perhaps, I missed too many days when I was in school too?) week period:

  1. The student’s parent (that’s probably me) is subject to prosecution under Section §25.093 of the Texas Education Code; and
  2. The student is subject to prosecution under Section 25.094 of the Texas Education Code for conduct that violates this section.

Section §25.095 pretty much says that my kids are require to go to school 90% of the time classes are offered to receive credit for the school year.

Thank you for clearing that up for me.

Now, what I want YOU to understand is that – and make no mistake about it – I want nothing more than my kids to be out of my house and in your care 90+% of the time, however, because life happens, this is pretty much impossible.

sick happens

When my kid has a fever or is vomiting, unlike some of the other parents in the district, I abide by the rules and keep my kid home.

When my kid is at school and has a fever or is vomiting, and you call me to come pick him or her up, I abide by the rules and take my kid home, and KEEP him or her home for at least 24 hours after his or her last fever or vomiting spell.

When the doctor tells me that my kids have a busted eardrum, and ear infection, a stomach bug, or other illnesses, I comply and keep them home until they are clear to return to school.

What I also want YOU to understand is that as much as you, as a district, like your money for having kids in school, I like MY money for having them in school, also.  I am not a fan of taking them to urgent care and dropping $100 each time they are sent home, just to prove, now, that they are actually ill… even if the school nurse sends them home.  Pediatricians aren’t always easy to get in on the same or next day, nor are they always needed. Especially if they send me home to alternate Motrin and Tylenol.

All of that to say, that I am abiding Texas law and monitoring my students’ attendance and requiring that my student attends school as much as humanly possible.  Dental appointments, doctor’s visits, fevers, vomiting, ruptured eardrums, etc., don’t always happen after school hours.

It’s not even the end of the first semester.  I’m pretty sure that my kids will be sick next semester as well, and I, too, want the very best in education for them.  So, then next time they’re sick, I’ll go ahead and send them to school so that they can contaminate their peers, all for the sake of neither of us having to tell them that even though their grades state that they pass, they can’t go to the next grade because they were sick more than the State of Texas allows them to be.

Trust me, I don’t keep them home with me to sit and watch Soaps and eat Bonbons all day.  Sick happens.

Sincerely,

Lisa Johnston