amiechoke Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 ...at the local public school system. I ran into a friend the other evening and she mentioned that her kids hadn't had any academic instruction for the previous two weeks. Every day, her kids are watching movies, or playing games, or taking a non-educational field trip. And there's another week of "school" left. Her poor kids are stuck marking time in a school building because, by law, the school has to provide 180 days of school. And I guiltily admit, my first thought was... (where's that kid Nelson from the Simpsons?) HAAAA HA! Now, our state's homeschool law says we have to show "regular and thorough" instruction... yet the county can blow off three weeks on cleanup and parties, because they've finished their standardized testing for the year (but haven't met their nut in the Number of Days category). This county, by the way, has apparently been the model for the rest of the country since the 60's. Half the County budget goes to education. In higher performing areas, they spend $14k per student. In lower performing areas, it's more like $15k. Man, what I could do with $14k per kid... Of course, I'm sure it's not that simple. Unlike the county, I wouldn't have to spend $400.00 per day on legal fees. Sorry for the interruption. Y'all can return to your regularly scheduled educations now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Just for fun, what do you think would happen if you reported three weeks worth of clean up, field trips, movies, *socialization*, etc. for the last three weeks of school. What if you even mentioned that your EOY testing was over, and so, well, you know. ?? (I am in a state where do don't have to report such things so I don't know how it would work.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loupelou Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 A friend of mine was also lamenting about exactly that problem out here. They are out of regular school now, but the last week or two was partying and playing. She felt like keeping them home instead. It also sounds just like the summer school around here, which most regular public school students attend. A friend of mine decided not to send hers this year after last years' experience. She found out most days were games, and or movies. She said they were watching at least one movie a day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 $14K :confused: I thought the $8K around here was nuts, but we live in a 'cheap' state. Hey, I did that too! My dd had her first standardized testing experience the first week of May, and we stopped school after that. Of course we were moving and the kids learned alot of carpentry and painting skills as well as what goes into moving and getting settled in a new neighborhood. We really don't blow off May most of the time, but this year was crazy in May. We also don't live in a reporting state, so if we do school in May or July it does not matter as long as it gets done. Enjoy your summer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 A friend of mine was also lamenting about exactly that problem out here. They are out of regular school now, but the last week or two was partying and playing. She felt like keeping them home instead. Why doesn't she? My mum did! She figured a few less kids for the teacher to entertain would benefit her and the other kids, and we could all stay home and lie in front of the air con, which would benefit all of us too! :) Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amiechoke Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 Just for fun, what do you think would happen if you reported three weeks worth of clean up, field trips, movies, *socialization*, etc. for the last three weeks of school. What if you even mentioned that your EOY testing was over, and so, well, you know. ?? (I am in a state where do don't have to report such things so I don't know how it would work.) Well, given that the state we're in is practically a teeny little communist nation, I'd probably get picked up by Child Protective Services right away. And then probably pilloried for making my children too smart for regular school. "They'll never be just like everyone else, now!" Okay, I'm done bashing the public system now. Sort of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 (edited) I ran into a friend the other evening and she mentioned that her kids hadn't had any academic instruction for the previous two weeks. Every day, her kids are watching movies, or playing games, or taking a non-educational field trip. And there's another week of "school" left. Her poor kids are stuck marking time in a school building because, by law, the school has to provide 180 days of school. They probably did that here too. Some of the schools had to extend the year because they used more than their allowed calamity days, so they probably had lots of fluff (not that it's all a bad thing, in moderation) for the last couple of weeks. Edited June 15, 2009 by gardening momma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 At one school I taught in, that was so the case. We had to turn in grades 2 weeks before school was out so they could be recorded and printed. Then they went out a week before school was out so the parents had time to see them and know if the child was being promoted or not (and complain about things). The kids all knew that we were not taking grades, and if we did they wouldn't count against them so no effort was made to complete assignments. Most teachers spent the time doing educational games while cleaning the classroom. Yeah, cleaning the classroom. We had to be out of the school the last day as well. Our classes had to be completely packed so the summer renovators could start the next day. SO not only were the kids watching movies and playing games (or having extended recesses), they were sitting in blank rooms. And, the cafeteria didn't publish menus because they were cooking up what was left in the freezers. We never knew what was going to be served.:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanessaS Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 :ack2: Another reason I always loved public school: the yummy cafeteria food! We always brought our lunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Threads like these always make me appreciate our schools even more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgm Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I always guessed the last few weeks of elementary play time was there because the high school had quit teaching and was in exam mode....so perhaps all other grade level teachers figured they'd quit teaching too. Around here the SAHMs will sign the kids out before lunch on those play days if the kids would rather be playing home in the pool instead of watching a movie in the class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I remember those blank classrooms! It didn't get much in high school either. We were required to show up for final exams. We had two classes a day, 4 hours each. School policy was that you had to be present or fail your class. In my computer class, it was used as time to finish writing our final program. Those of us who had already finished, sat around the teacher's desk and played Pictionary with her for four hours while the rest of class worked on finishing their program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in AL Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 The schools here not only had the usual 'free time' after turning in books the week before school was out, but since the schools were closed for four days because of swine flu, they were *required* to be open for four more days to get in that required 180. Since the flu hit here so close to the end of school, guess when the make up days were? AFTER finals. ???!? Huh? The superintendent promised that the kids weren't just going to 'sit around watching movies' and that the time would be used for 'enrichment activities'. Since I haven't talked to anyone who sent their kids those days, I'm not sure what they did end up doing. I would bet money that it wasn't 'enrichment activities'. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 This reminds me of my senior year in high school. Due to very unusual storms in February, we missed a lot more school than the district had planned for. So the school year was extended for several more days. However, our graduation announcements had already been printed with the original graduation date. Since the school administration decided they did not want to try to force seniors to come to school after graduation, seniors did not have to make up the snow days. I was quite merciless about it with my younger brother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquirrellyMama Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I remember going to school on a Saturday for our last day of school one year. We had missed a day because our basketball team made it to the finals. I was mad because I could have stayed home in my jammies watching Saturday morning cartoons instead of watching them from my desk at school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Can you believe, I've actually gotten some choice words, because we did NOT ease up these past two weeks?!? Oh, c'mon, the school's just putting them infront of a t.v., it's not fair that Drew has to do work. Imagine their surprise when they called this morning (school's out) and I said, gee, we're in the middle of class, but I'll let you know when we're done.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Around here you get your butt hauled in for truancy! Dawn Why doesn't she? My mum did! She figured a few less kids for the teacher to entertain would benefit her and the other kids, and we could all stay home and lie in front of the air con, which would benefit all of us too! :) Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I used to tell my students I would give them extra credit if they DID NOT show up after finals! ;) I was KIDDING!!!!! Well, sort of! I did show movies at the end, but they were related to whatever we had been reading (I taught English and History.) So, if we had just finished Romeo and Juliet, we would watch the OLD version of it. Dawn I remember those blank classrooms! It didn't get much in high school either. We were required to show up for final exams. We had two classes a day, 4 hours each. School policy was that you had to be present or fail your class. In my computer class, it was used as time to finish writing our final program. Those of us who had already finished, sat around the teacher's desk and played Pictionary with her for four hours while the rest of class worked on finishing their program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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