Back to School?

Note: The following commentary is from Mrs. TopofIt’s perspective as an educator in Sacramento county.

“Did school start already?” This is probably what many of the officers sent to pick up these “parents” heard this week as Sacramento County held its 10th annual truancy sweep. This time of year school offices are buzzing with new enrollments…those who just realized why their neighborhood was so quiet during the day or why their child suddenly had no one to play with. School is tricky like that. Just sneaks up on you. And with such high expectations of having your child attend 180 days of it, come on, get real. So who cares if you have missed 30? That’s not so bad, right? The real fun lies in the excuses. As a teacher, you hear them all. These range from a simple missing of the bus to grandma’s doctor’s appointment. You can’t really expect a child to attend school when grandma has to have her cataracts dialated? Who could concentrate? Better just stay home.

Tummy hurts? Better have some Pop Tarts and Tang and call it a day. Seriously, the SARB meetings (School Attendance Review Board) should be televised. You want Springer style reality…hit one of those. Sadly many of those arrested in these raids have sat through these meetings, moved their kids from school to school, district to district just to escape prosecution. The only ones losing here are the kids. Aren’t they the future? I guess seeing what has happened to Whitney Houston maybe we shouldn’t be taking advice from her…but I digress.

I congratulate the Sacramento law enforcement officers on their annual day and support them in making this a weekly or even daily event. If I am going to be paid based on how well these truant children retain our riveting state standards, then the parents should be held accountable for getting them to school.

Next time you are out during school hours and see kids in line at Target, in Arden Fair, or at Cingular paying a wireless bill, you glare at their parents and let them know that you know that I know that you know that I know that you know. Hopefully, if we continue these sweeps, one day it will be them and maybe their pay could be based on their merit as a parent.

Unknown's avatar

Author: RonTopofIt

RonTopofIt is a complex personality, as are most of the small breed of modern day renaissance millionaires. He wishes more people were like him and yet believes that it takes all kinds. You've met RonTopofIt many times, you just don't remember him.

4 thoughts on “Back to School?”

  2. Thank you for the note at the top. I assume it was for my benefit. I agree with Runnergirl though, it is hard to tell if those kids I see at Target in the middle of the day are in a year round school.

    Like

  4. I agree with you, having been raised by a teacher mother & having earned the Perfect Attendance award throughout my scholastic career (up until college, that is.) But, how are we to know that the children we see during school hours don’t go to a year-round school and may be “off track” when we see them? I don’t want to give the stinkeye to the wrong people (I reserve that mainly for those who wait until they’re at the front of the line at Peet’s/Noah’s/anywhere else there’s a menu on the wall to take the time to decide what they want, then use their credit card for a $3 purchase.)

    Like

Comments are closed.