My son's teacher pulled a devastating bait-and-switch yesterday

[booksenkatz]

My 9-year-old son is a rare bird -- a child who has genuinely been interested in politics since he was at least 4-5 years old. He's crazy about history and enjoys learning about how our government works. From the moment Obama announced his candidacy, this child has wanted him to be our president (he was not parroting me -- it took me a little longer to come around).

As Inauguration Day approached, I was trying to figure out what excuse to give in order to keep him home from school so that he could watch this momentous occasion with me. Although I am not a teacher, I come from a family of public school teachers; we do not believe in pulling kids out of school unless it's for an illness or funeral. I don't even schedule his doctor/dentist appointments during school hours. I told him to ask his teacher if she intended to let them watch the event on the classroom TV, and we'd take it from there.

Last week, he came home from school, very excited. "Mom, you don't have to worry about it. My teacher said we could eat our lunches here in the classroom and watch the ceremony! And the kids who don't want to see it can sit outside in the hall." I was so relieved, as he was.

When my son got off the bus yesterday afternoon, after the bus had pulled away and the other children were out of sight, he burst into tears. "Mom, we got to see Joe Biden sworn in, but just before Obama was to raise his hand and begin his oath, she made us go to the cafeteria and get our lunch! We missed it!" When they returned to the classroom with their lunches, Obama was making his speech (I told my son that the speech was every bit as important). He was inconsolable. This was an event that genuinely MEANT something to this child. I told him he could watch the oath on TV when it was rerun, but he said, "It's not the same," and I totally understand, because I'm the same way myself. I told him that when Obama is sworn in for the second time, 4 years from now, I will absolutely let him stay home to watch it. I cannot entrust my son's love of history to the educational system, I have learned. If something is important to him, I see that I have to take care of it myself.

I'm tempted to write a letter to his teacher and to his principal (an African American lady -- I thought this event would surely be safe in her hands), but I'm afraid it would only mark him as a troublemaker. A teacher who apparently (?) takes history so lightly has a different values system than I have, so who knows how she would take it out on my son. I completely understand that school procedures and cafeterias wait for no one, but the oath is a single sentence! How much would the school day have been impacted if the teacher had waited 60 seconds so that her class could witness this? He's told me that all but 3 of the kids in his class are for Obama, but only a few of the supporters are as passionate about witnessing history as he is. I would think that a teacher would want to encourage those few AND to try to instill a little of it in the others.

Poor kid is just sick about this, and I don't blame him a bit. But I certainly have learned my lesson! Your child's education truly is in YOUR hands, no one else's.

edited to change a word in the subject title -- I don't know the teacher's intent and it's unfair for me to assume she was intentionally careless.

[gollygee]

1. Schools have to keep pretty strict schedules

I doubt it was really up to the teacher. At my daughter's school, there is no time at all between one lunch period and the next. They really wouldn't be able to put it off at all. And remember he was sworn in just a few minutes after noon, and the teacher didn't expect that when she was planning.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. True. Had they not been running late it might have worked out just fine. :^(

[ScreamingMeemie]

4. That's what I was thinking as I read this, she didn't realize it would

run a bit slow.

Because BabyG is so interested in politics (I think they are becoming less of a rare bird, and more common) I kept him home.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. I am so sorry for your poor little sweetie. The teacher may not necessarily have done it

for any reason other than it's time to get lunch when it's time to get lunch. :(

But really, you _would_ think an extra 60 seconds wouldn't have utterly disrupted the school schedule. :eyes:

[gollygee]

6. He was already a couple of minutes after noon

and he was expected to swear in right at noon. She wouldn't have been able to know for sure it would be only 60 seconds. And there's almost not enough time for kids to eat during lunch as it is. They really have to keep things going in the cafeteria.

I wouldn't blame the teacher for this. My daughter's school is very strict about the lunch schedule to make sure kids have enough time to eat. It could be this school is strict about it too.

[seabeyond]

5. so much respect never pull kid out, but not understand a lunch schedule, lol.

if the bell rung, i could understand regardless that it was time to pull kids out and sorry they missed it.

my kids got about all of it in their school, but had tough time staying connected with tvs. both my boys are like your son with politics, govt and history. but they love to learn in most all subject (except math, lol). i let them stay home after win with obama to celebrate. i let them stay home from a private christian school day after loss with bush.

i thought about letting kids stay home but heard would be at school. i would have had no problem letting son stay home feeling as your son did. sorry he missed it. i know these are big and special things with kids we want to encourage

i can also see schools side on feeding the kids.

[booksenkatz]

14. I know, I know, LOL

The kicker was, Obama was literally just about to raise his hand and begin the oath -- that KILLED my son to have to walk out on that!

Bottom line, though, it's definitely my fault and I'll never do this to him again. I should have known that something would've gotten in the way of his enjoyment of this amazing moment.:(

[Ian David]

7. Remind your son that Obama became President at Noon, whether he was sworn-in yet or not. n/t

[renate]

53. that's an excellent point

He sounds like the kind of kid who, being so interested in the laws and the rules of government, would get a kick out of the idea of the quiet transfer of power at the stroke of noon, and of Obama becoming president on sort of a technicality while the whole country was listening to Yo-Yo Ma. I thought it was pretty groovy, myself, that those of us watching on TV knew that Obama had become president before he did himself.

[shireen]

8. yes, call them out on it

This was a profoundly historical occasion. Years from now, someone will ask your son, "where were you when Obama took the oath of office?"

He'll have to reply, "at the cafeteria getting lunch".

That was a dumb thing for that teacher to do.

[booksenkatz]

9. Ugh, I know y'all are right

Regardless of her reasons, though, it just shows that if something is really, really important, you can only trust yourself to get it done. I'll never get a do-over with this and I feel terrible about it! He could've so easily stayed right here with me and lolled in front of the TV all day, as I did (something I never do).

On the bright side, I'm pretty proud to have a kid who actually wept because he missed it, who actually cared that much. This is a kid who is grooming himself to be an activist one of these days -- there is no doubt in my mind that he'll be leading the next generation of shoe throwers!:)

[seabeyond]

12. ya... too all you say. yes. n/t

[panader0]

10. My daughter's (high school soph) teacher wouldn't let them watch either

Instead, he made them watch a movie about how animals would look in 200 years if there were no humans. Almost every other class in this large high school got to watch the inauguration. Sore loser I guess.

[cali]

11. You should have kept him home. You sound rigid regarding

the issue of school attendence. It's not the teacher's fault you ;made the decision to send him.

[pnwmom]

34. She was relying on the teacher's promise to let them watch the ceremony.

How can you say it was the parent's fault? It was the teacher who disregarded her promise, not the parent.

I didn't keep my son home because the school had told us that all the students would watch the inauguration -- and they did. Otherwise, I -- and lots of other parents -- would have kept our kids home.

[booksenkatz]

36. But cali has a good point

Ultimately it was up to me to ensure that he saw it, since it was sooooo important to my family. These things are not as important to other people as they are to my family, therefore it is incumbent upon me to take care of it. How do I know it's equally important to the teacher -- maybe she is a Repub, or just doesn't care about history? Or maybe she puts procedure above all else, as I myself did when I was too skittery to sign out my son for any reason other than the two reasons I'd been raised to believe were the only two that were acceptable. I see now that I am as guilty as the teacher for allowing procedure to come first.

I think it's best summed up to say that several of the adults in my son's life let him down yesterday, and I sure won't let it happen again.

(C'mon, pnwmom, let me beat myself up a little, it's something we liberals enjoy doing.:P)

[pnwmom]

54. But if you keep beating yourself up over stuff like this,

there'll be nothing left of you by the time you've been a mother as long as I've been!

Just give your son plenty of these (while he's still young enough to appreciate them):

:hug:

[Name removed]

72. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[notadmblnd]

13. It's finals week for my child.

he was released at 10:30 so he was home in time to see it. However, I've always taken him out of school on election day. He's a sophomore in HS and over the years I've discovered that the schools just don't cover civics. It's my job as a parent to teach him about his rights and obligations to this country and that I am responsible for his knowing the process. Over the years I've taken him to work the polls and to see the process. I think too many people don't bother voting because they simply don't know how to.

[booksenkatz]

15. We were so lucky about Election Day

Michigan declared it a holiday -- the schools were out, even my (Big Three) hubby had a vacation day. So the three of us went to the polls together, and my son was in heaven. Had they not declared a holiday, I would have taken him to the polls with me after school, because I agree that kids get their values from the behaviors we model.

But with the inauguration, I had this (stupid) vision that his class would be as glued to the TV set as I was yesterday. I forget that not everyone has the passion about this stuff that I have! I should have known better, regardless of the teacher's intent.

[glowing]

25. I did too, mine is 4. He didn't stay home for the inauguration. But he did

go and vote.. and he participated in the kiddie vote.

[hlthe2b]

16. I don't know why the teacher did this, but many understandable

reasons are at least possible--schedule, not realizing how important this particular set of kids would view it, other. Perhaps she was clueless. But, I must gently suggest that knowing how important it was to your son, had you had the forethought to meet ahead of time with the teacher to discuss it, this might well have been avoided. I'm afraid I see you sharing some of this disappointment to your son. While you might discuss with the teacher ways in which you could help recreate the experience for your son (or others, perhaps), I think you need to be careful about drawing any conclusions about this teacher based on what happened. Who knows, perhaps she will realize that this is an opportunity to replay some of the event in light of of history discussions and its wider context? :shrug:

I don't mean to be harsh at all... You clearly have a fabulous, intelligent son who will take up the challenge of his generation. That you are so invested and concerned shows what role you've had in making him so...;)

[booksenkatz]

20. I'm trying hard

to cover up my disappointment in front of my son! I'm actually being all chirpy, trying to josh him out of it. I first told him that the speech is actually MORE important, because Obama is setting the agenda for his administration. That didn't cheer him up. So I said, "Hey, Roberts screwed up the oath anyway, so it wasn't all that majestic!" That didn't cheer him up either. Yikes, the adults in his life really let him down yesterday.

In October, at the first parent-teacher meeting, I thought I conveyed quite clearly to his teacher how interested he is in politics and government. Maybe she forgot or, as stated by others, the schedule was out of her control and she would have gotten in trouble had she not taken the children immediately to the cafeteria at the appointed time (but with an African-American principal, I can't imagine that to be the case). Their 4th grade Social Studies subject at the moment is American slavery, so you'd think that seeing Obama sworn in as president would be a vital part of their SS lesson. I just wish I knew for sure. Maybe I should gently talk to her about it next time I'm up there and ask her what was going on that caused them to miss such an important historical moment. I want to see if the teacher seems disappointed about it or not -- that will speak volumes!;)

[glowing]

17. My mom was pissed that they had school. They stayed home for 3 days

when Kennedy was shot. They were kept home to watch the moon landing. On a day like this coming off of Martin Luther Kings Day, this should be a required day off. Its important to our national heritage... no matter who is being sworn in. AND she is a teacher.

[Joe Fields]

90. The moon landing was in July. Did your mom go to school in the summer?

[glowing]

106. hmm..I'll have to ask her? Maybe it was for the first shot into space.

I don't know. I'll have to ask?

[davidpdx]

18. I feel bad for your son

I too took an interest in politics early on (probably a little later on then him, closer the age he is now) and have pretty much grown up a political junkie. It was a difficult call and given the school's schedule and the schedule for the inauguration, it could have gone either way. Certainly it doesn't sound like it was 100% the school's fault as they have to work on a set schedule. True, they could have planned ahead to accommodate the special event.

Maybe you could see if you can write a letter to the White House and get an autographed picture for him (I know they sign it with an auto pen, but still he won't know that). It might be of some consolation to him.

[booksenkatz]

21. Oooh, now there's an idea

Thanks for that!:hi:

[davidpdx]

86. np

You can also go on the inauguration website which has lots of nice souvenirs too. He might like something from there. I've been trying to decide what I want to buy.

[NOW tense]

19. My Wife's stream cut out and

she and her kids missed the last half of the speech.

[booksenkatz]

23. That is just so sad!

I agree with the person who posted upthread that Inauguration Day should be a federal holiday (as Election Day should be).

[lostnfound]

22. We had the opposite experience, at a Catholic school in Texas

I was so glad -- and shocked -- that my 7 year old's class was able to witness it on TV. I was very surprised since there were no comments or notices from the school about any inauguration day activities. He told me he got to watch the 'whole thing' -- the swearing in of Obama, the music (which he loved), and Obama's speech. He did not hear Biden's, but we watched it later on YouTube.

He was psyched to see it.

We hung up a flag in front of our house yesterday evening, for the first time ever.

[booksenkatz]

27. That's beautiful

It's so great to plant seeds in children this way. Why should only the children who already love politics watch yesterday's event? I'll bet there were lots of children who saw the event yesterday and who all of a sudden, NOW, want to know more about all of this crazy government "stuff." That's what education should be about. These days, though, it's all about tests, sadly.

I'm sure it was a very meaningful day for your son and that it stirred up lots of interesting conversations.

I was born and raised in Ft. Worth and I had called my mom last week to tease her about some of the stories I'd been reading about the school districts in Texas that wouldn't let their students watch Obama's oath, even though those same districts had let their students watch Bush's oath twice. I told her I was very thankful that my son's school was letting our kids watch it. Joke's on me, right? Damn.

[seabeyond]

28. my kids public middle school in amarillo texas got it too. further, lowell? the second religious

dudes prayer.... was the favorite with these repug, fundamentalist kids. all of them were jazzed talking about his rockin speech. thought that was funny. they didnt know any better.

[Phentex]

24. I pulled mine out, and I don't take it lightly...

child of a school teacher here too.

But this was important to him and to me. I tried to find out if they were going to watch and got very iffy reports. So I picked him up from school and the sign out sheet had at least a page of kids being picked up with the excuse marked Inauguration. Many were kept home altogether.

I thought about it and decided not to take any chances. The school was very understanding. I think THEY should have made arrangements for all kids to watch but they didn't get their act together in time.

This was history. This was big. In fact, we had a high school history teacher in our group watching with us. She had taken the day off!

I'm sorry about your son.

[booksenkatz]

31. Phentex, I feel so dumb

It's just that when I was growing up, I'd listen to my family of teachers talk about how parents pull kids out of school for everything. The only excuses that seemed to be acceptable were illness or funerals. That sort of thinking has just taken over in my parenting, I guess. If I ever wrote anything on the sign-out sheet other than "illness" or "funeral" it would just feel wrong, as if I am being flippant or careless in my attitude towards my child's education.

I truly WANTED to keep him home. I kept trying to think of what I would write for the excuse on the sign-out sheet, and I didn't want to get my son in trouble. Isn't that pathetic? I think Cali upthread is right, I need to stop being so rigid about these things and consider that there are many ways to get an education, many/most of which have nothing whatsoever to do with physically being in a classroom.

Thanks to everybody for your input on this, it really helps.:)

[seabeyond]

37. personal. i type personal, when i have a reason i want a child out,

that doesnt fit with illness.

i pulled son out last period one time cause i wanted to take him shopping for other sons bday. this kid gets all a's, in pre ap course and never a problem with school

when he first started school i felt the same way. now 9 yrs later, there are times i say... hey, they never get sick, they do so well, work so hard, not gonna hurt. and it is few and far between

i give kids a hookie day in march or april, cause they just never miss school.

[Bobcat]

26. Lunch

Lunch is the "sacred cow" of the school schedule. Classes can be re-arranged but nobody messes with the lunch schedule!

[BlooInBloo]

29. Note to self: keep the kid home, to watch something that I think is important to see.

[patrice]

30. Bait-and-switch implies intent. Is that fair of you?

Do you really think the teacher did this in order to hurt your son?

What would MLK do?

[pnwmom]

32. Aw! I understand. The last thing I did when I dropped off my son was to make sure

that the school was still planning to have all the students watch the inauguration. If they'd said no, I'd have driven my son right back home.

[Iterate]

33. Maybe make for it with a trip to DC?

Even a campaign stop can be more than inspiring for a 9-year-old. My father made sure I had the chance to see Kennedy and Johnson, a simple act for which I have always been grateful though I doubt he remembers it.

[booksenkatz]

35. Yes

We were actually talking about that while watching Sunday's concert. All of those historic buildings, the Smithsonian... it would truly be amazing! I hope we are able to do that someday soon.

[GaYellowDawg]

41. Make sure you take him to the National Archives.

Let him see the Constitution, and let him know that without it, nothing else in DC really matters.

[booksenkatz]

46. We were drooling at the thought

of seeing those documents most of all. I think that would definitely be our first stop!

[GaYellowDawg]

73. It really is amazing. Make sure you take a good low-light camera.

Of course, they don't allow flash photography of the documents. Be forewarned, though - the Declaration of Independence was really poorly treated for much of its first century and is very, very faded.

That said, it was great for me for a number of reasons. The last time I went, I was with one of my best friends. He's Filipino, and I was absolutely bursting with pride - it meant more to me to show him that than it did the Statue of Liberty or the White House (especially as it was last April). We also got an extra thrill out of it; he didn't know it, but one of the signatories from Georgia, Abraham Baldwin, was also the first president of the University of Georgia. As UGA grad students, we both took a lot of pride in that. I even got good non-flash photos of the actual First Amendment and Baldwin's signature.

There's so much more, though, in the Archives - all kinds of correspondence from many presidents and other famous figures in American history. When you see their actual handwriting, it feels like you've got a kind of connection. Given what you've shared about your son, I think he will really enjoy that.

[Lochloosa]

102. Something to help the budget. There is no charge to go to any of the buildings.

You own them.

[aikoaiko]

38. "The Buddha had observed that life is suffering."

I feel bad for your young historian, but it doesn't sound like the teacher did this in malice...just sticking to a schedule.

At least there is youtube for him to review it as many times as he wishes.

[Zywiec]

39. Interested in politics since the age of 4?

I'm sorry, but I find that a little hard to believe.

Do you think we should lower the voting age?

:shrug:

[booksenkatz]

40. Seriously

Four-and-a-half, to be fair. From late 2003 through the election in 2004, all he wanted to do was watch Kerry speeches with me, which is saying something in itself, as we all know that Kerry can be a wee bit pedantic. Then my kid would ask me questions about the things Kerry was talking about. In Kindergarten, he was lecturing the other kids about how stupid war is and why.

Since we don't want to raise a dittohead, my husband and I have always strived very hard to express both sides of any political argument. I never went around telling my son my true feelings about Bush, spouting progressive political rants. But this child was born a liberal, you can't fool him for a minute. When people disagree, they're supposed to talk about it, not pick up guns. Anything else, to him, is just STUPID. He's never even pulled the cat's tail!

He's not a genius, just very bright in general, a very good student, and has always been incredibly interested in how the world works. At that same age, he wanted to know how everything worked, just a very curious boy. But 2004 was when he asked me to print out the flowchart of our government's checks and balances and he put them up in his room and memorized them. He turned five in Aug. 2004.

This month, he's been asking me to explain the Israeli-Palestinian situation to him, which is somewhat, um, daunting. He just does not understand tanks and rockets, period.

I don't know if you have kids, but if a kid is interested in a subject, whatever it is, you let him run with it! They come into this world with their own agendas. Although my hubby and I are not vegetarians, my son said when he was three, "Mommy, I can't eat something that had a face." He's never been a meat-eater, he was born that way.

Sometimes they'll really amaze you. Some kids are sports geniuses or musical wonders. My son wants to be a community organizer and a rabble-rouser (but no guns)!:D

[seabeyond]

48. take it a step further. my kids has always explored, intellectually. but lately

with my boys friends (living in texas, all repug) we have had lots of political conversation. 13ish. i pick them up to have sleep overs or hang out and these friends follow me around talking politics, what they hear, what they think and loving different perspectives that they do not get in this area. i was talking to principal at beginning of the year about my two boys and i mentioned how one particular friend wont leave me alone on the politics and spends so much time with me on the subject. how much the kid knows. a real interest.

i said it to his mom too, thinking i would get an agreement from her.

both these people were amazed this kid had any interest in politics or opinion. i guess he does not come off as bright and doesnt do well in school. struggles. neither had any idea the kid spent so much of his time thinking about issues.

my point

there are parents that are open to children at youngest of age exploring, and they will explore especially with parental help, approval and encouragement. the kid doesnt have to be a genius, just a connection and encouragement to think. i think that is more norm, than not

how many kids that are clueless is simply cause they didnt have the chance or opportunity.

[renate]

51. he sounds awesome

You must be really proud. There's nothing more delightful than a curious, enthusiastic child. It'll be fun for you to watch his interest grow... when he runs for Congress (or President!), be sure to let us know!

[demodonkey]

47. I had trouble with my friends in Kindergarten because I wanted to play "presidential inauguration"..

...instead of dolls. Seriously. There was a squabble because I wanted to play that and the other kids didn't know what it was.

Yes, my parents (both teachers, or one teacher and one school admin) kept me home for major historic events.

[booksenkatz]

50. HAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

:spray:

That's my son! Love it.

[Fran Kubelik]

61. My son is the same way.

He got all the neighborhood kids to play "presidential campaign" with him in November - he made them all his campaign managers. When he was 4 he used to get up on his playset and practice his stump speeches.

[Missy Vixen]

100. I was interested in politics in elementary school as well

I was also campaigning for the Presidential candidate at 12.

Go ahead. Imply I'm not telling the truth, either.

Julie

[marshall]

42. Introduce your child to Youtube

It's wonderful!

[seabeyond]

44. ah ha. ya right. not even. lol. n/t

[booksenkatz]

45. Actually...

Speaking of YouTube: while I would never turn him loose on YouTube, the following is his favorite item at that site:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-yJBsjatW0&sdig=1
:D

[seabeyond]

43. wrong place

[booksenkatz]

49. Very, very true

As my son has gotten older, I've been more open with my opinions when, after I've told him both sides of an issue, he has directly asked me what *I* think; but I've endeavored to do so in a way that doesn't sound like a bunch of vicious partisan dogma. That is VERY difficult for me, because I am frankly a passionate progressive partisan, so it's been educational for me, as well, to learn how to express those feelings as objectively and calmly as I can. Regardless of the anger and injustice I feel after the last 8 years, no one will listen to (or learn from) a raving, raging partisan.

I think that your method with those young men is a good one.:)

[seabeyond]

58. funny. i moved post cause i wanted it with what you were saying to poster thinking

kids, even little kids aren't interested in thinking.

we have lots of repugs in our family, father included. i am not a strong dem, nor a repug at all.... so seeing all sides, good bad and indifferent are easy.

what i have impressed on kids over the years is NO parroting. we get so much of that with the repug think i cannot stand. kids are not allowed to use what i say, they MUST do their own research and think it thru themselves. and are absolutely allowed to disagree, respectfully, lol. all intellectual stimulation and exercise.

sons are older than yours, but last couple years i have gotten times, smithsonian, nation geographic sent to home and sits on dining room table for kids to grab and read. excellent and they do.

but most importantly what people need to see, is the kids that explore dont stop on politics. their mind goes in every direction, interest in thought is varied. get them to do a little thinking, and they will do a lot of thinking

one of my favorite subjects... and i too like your approach thru out this thread and what you have to say

big thumbs up

[Zywiec]

68. Who said little kids aren't interested in thinking?

I think it's great that kids are interested in thinking. What I said is I find it hard to believe 4 year old kids are sitting around offering their opinion on the politics of the day. Maybe I've just got my head in the sand, and the pre-kindergarten playground is full of serious discussions on race, labor and the stock market. I'll be sure to keep my ears open for this in the future.

So the question in my original, unthinking post was about lowering the voting age. Well, should children as young as 4 be able to vote with their vast interest in thinking? Surely they have a lot to offer.

I'd also love to hear whether the bright children of today should have a lower drinking age, or age of consent?

[booksenkatz]

71. We're Irish, we are opinionated quite early on, LOL!

I don't see a need to lower the voting age just because some kids are very much interested in politics, as they are still developing their comprehensive world-view, obviously. I would like, though, for teachers to be a little more sensitive to their students' interests, if and when at all possible (and if lunch is not calling).:)

[seabeyond]

76. should children as young as 4 be able to vote .... ya. i take your post seriously.

grinnin.

[Zywiec]

77. As seriously I as take 4 year olds spending their time with politics

:toast:

See we can agree to completely disregard each other's post!

[seabeyond]

80. my brothers actually had audacity to chew me out cause my kids enjoy reading so much

and value learning and exploring thought. they even suggested it was a bit of child abuse.

they say it is just not normal.

my oldest is also hitting 14 and has never caused me any problems, thinks things out and doesn't adhere or embrace peer pressure.

i will take the oddity.

[EmilyAnne]

88. Are you always this annoying?

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

52. Sounds Innocent On The Teachers Part. But If History Meant That Much To This Child, If It Was That

momentous of an occasion for him, then maybe the smartest decision would've been allowing him to stay home to with you in order to truly take in all the wonderful events of yesterday.

[Fran Kubelik]

56. Easy to say with the benefit of hindsight...

But we sent our kid to school to celebrate the inauguration with his fellow excited first-graders. Luckily, his teacher followed through on her promise, and the kids not only watched the coverage in the background all day but they also had Obama activity books and even Inauguration parades. I wouldn't have wanted him to miss all that. I can understand why the OP didn't imagine that the teacher would mess it up like that.

[seabeyond]

60. i wanted my kids to be able to enjoy with schoolmates and teachers too. and get

their interpretation of how the other kids racted and responded to it all.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

62. Easy For Me To Say In Foresight Too.

This wasn't just any kid. It was a child that obviously had a monumental caring about the day's events. It wasn't just typical caring. Knowing how much it meant to him and how easy it is for schedules etc to go wrong at things like work/school, it would've been a no brainer for me to have kept him home in order to FULLY take in all the events of yesterday, while sharing a very special day with him. I don't say that out of hindsight whatsoever.

There are certain times when being together as a family or being home in general trumps all other priorities, such as a day at school. Yesterday was one of those times.

[Fran Kubelik]

69. I understand to a degree. Maybe we here are just really lucky with our school.

My son's teacher volunteered for the Obama campaign, so I knew she would make a big deal about the inauguration, way more exciting for Kubelik Kid than watching it on CNN on the couch with his moms. He wore his Obama shirt and his Obama/MLK pin, and came home walking on air, full of stories about how all the kids in his class reacted to the new president. Such an amazing shared experience for these kids. I think our kid is also kind of viewed as the big Obama fan in the class, so he felt particularly proud today.
It was cute - when I was in his classroom for their Halloween party, a little girl shyly came up to me and asked: "Are you (Kubelik Kid's) mom? He really likes Obama, you know!" :)

[booksenkatz]

65. Yes, he got a workbook!

This is so funny -- according to the fact sheet, Obama likes shrimp and grits, so my son has insisted that shrimp and grits will be on our menu for next week! Yikes, I was raised in Texas but always hated grits. And with shrimp? Egads.

Now I'm hoping that the kid doesn't find out about that Spam-thing that Barack was enjoying in Hawaii, LOL!:P

[tomreedtoon]

55. Lesson: NEVER trust teachers.

You parents who put your kids' lives into the hands of these lunatics have to watch them carefully. They have no education themselves, although they manage to fake it enough to pass exams (which is why the Bush "teaching for the test" was their favorite educational reform) and they have absolutely no love for children.

I do not recommend home schooling - that would turn you into someone as unfeeling and hateful as a teacher - but just beware them.

[Fran Kubelik]

57. humor?

I hope?

[seabeyond]

59. clueless? lol. as in the dude who thinks all teachers are evil and school

teaches nothing.

[tomreedtoon]

64. You confuse humor for honesty.

Teachers ARE horrid. If they are not open child abusers (like the ones here in Florida that duct-tape retarded children inside cardboard boxes to keep them quiet) they are at least dominators/dominatrixes. They enjoy destroying children's self-esteem and they love to humiliate them at every opportunity. And actually giving a damn about imparting knowledge? Forget it.

I dated a teacher for over a decade, and saw her and her alcoholic, cruel colleagues up close. I know whereof I speak. And no, I don't have the money for one of those blood-dripping sarcasm icons that you rich people use on DU.

[seabeyond]

66. well, .... you are wrong. take it for what it is. but flat out, you are simply wrong. n/t

[tomreedtoon]

74. I take it as "willful denial of reality."

Didn't you know that only 25 percent of American grade school graduates know how to read? You can't blame all of that on Bush or budget cuts. It's the idiots to whom we gave the power to run our children's lives.

[seabeyond]

78. a person who has chip on shoulder with teacher he "dated" and me, a parent

who has interacted, worked with, been a participant of my childrens education for ten yrs and i am gonna say

you know

all those years watching the teacher work ass off, see kid as priority, do the best for child

this guys is right.... all teachers are ________.

and you want me to acknowledge my own willful denial of reality?

lol

my child was reading college level in 6th grade, my youngest in 5th grade is high school level. there are a lot of reasons kids are doing poorly in school. i saw you on another thread just the other day that outlined a lot of reasons our children are doing poorly. a LOT of factors. and yet you willfully chose to ignore the reality of today to promote your chip for some X

[GaYellowDawg]

79. You're mistaking "anecdote" for "reality."

So, basically, your take comes from dating one rotten teacher and a few of the colleagues who could bear to be around her. Nice sample size, there.

As an education PhD student, I've worked with a lot of science teachers from a lot of different schools, and haven't seen a single one who matched your description of teachers. I have encountered too many teachers to count at conferences like NSTA (National Science Teachers Association), NABT (National Association of Biology Teachers), state conferences, and so forth, who can't wait to learn new approaches, new resources, and share those experiences/approaches/resources with other teachers. In working with the regional Science Bowl, I've seen teachers who find and celebrate the students who share their love for new knowledge. I can guarantee you that I have a much larger sample size to work with than you do. And they UNIVERSALLY despise NCLB.

What you claim as "reality" is an erroneous generalization based on anecdotal evidence of a biased sample. For my part, sure, I'll admit that there are teachers who do nothing more than mark time - they're the same type as office workers who don't do anything but play Solitaire all day. I know I've seen a lot of the more motivated teachers, but I'm not naive enough to assume that they're all like the ones I've met. I can also tell you, though, that I have seen science departments in somewhere around 40 schools. They've been rural, suburban, and inner-city schools. I've seen honors classes. I've seen classes where literally half the students in the class had a probation officer. I haven't seen a single teacher like the ones you've described, and I haven't met a single department head who would tolerate a teacher like the ones you've described. It sounds to me like you dated a crappy teacher who was in a very poorly-run school. Unfortunately, that happens - but it's not the norm, and it doesn't represent "reality." Reality is far more than the sum of your experiences.

[seabeyond]

81. or he is pissed at an x and her friends told her to dump him,. who knows

but that isnt my reality so i can only guess.

[GaYellowDawg]

85. It sounds like he did have a bad experience.

However, just because he encountered a few bad teachers doesn't mean that they're ALL bad, or alcoholics, or child abusers. It's a classical logical fallacy - assuming that one small sample is representative of an entire population. It's also the same kind of reasoning (or lack thereof) that leads to racism and sexism - you know, when an individual gets offended by one person in a particular ethnicity and decides that "all" people of that ethnic origin are offensive. Certainly, I'm not equating his teacher hate with racism or sexism - but I am saying that he displays a lack of reasoning that shares common ground with those things.

Edited for spelling.

[firedupdem]

63. I struggled with whether or not I should let my son stay home yesterday.

My mother taught in the Chicago Public School system for 30 years so I know how you feel. I decided monday night to let him stay home. As one of the only black families in my small Nebraska town, I couldn't trust that he would be allowed to see any of it. I'm glad I kept him home. I called the attendance line and let them know he was staying home to watch the inauguration with his parents.

I did have him write what the election and the outcome meant to him personally. He mentioned in his writing only a line or two about the fact that the first black President was elected. He talked more about the greatness of the country and how he felt compelled to serve and hold our elected officials responsible for making the right decisions for our country.

He didn't think he needed to give it to his history teacher, (he's 15 and knows it all of course) but I emailed it to the instructor myself. I let his teacher know we weren't looking for extra credit but I wanted him to know what we did yesterday.

I can't wait until he gets home today to see if he encountered any issues because he was absent yesterday. I'm hoping he won't. It was too important a day to miss it.

I know how your son feels. I wanted to see it live too! Your son makes me proud! What a great kid! I understand their schedules but I wish he had been able to see it as well.

[booksenkatz]

70. Love it!

These days, missing just one day can really set them back. If I had kept my son home yesterday, he would not have received his study guide for a major test on Thursday until today, which would have only given us TONIGHT to study for it together. We never get much advance notice on this stuff, and I've been told that 4th grade is when they really start packing on the work. So far, that's been true, we've had major family-oriented school projects almost every weekend, it seems (stuff that requires family involvement that he genuinely can't do on his own). I love it that they are encouraging families to work together, but it'd be nice to have more free weekends for other things. Ah, well.

He seems better this morning (he was so depressed all evening), told me that he'd already checked the news early this morning and our new president was already up and about very early. "Mom, he must have gotten only a couple of hours of sleep!" He's sooooo concerned about Obama, he really looks up to him. What a role model. What a feeling for a kid, to care so much about his president! That's certainly a feeling he has never had in his life.

[firedupdem]

75. Pat yourself on the back for having such a wonderful child!

He had to have inherited those traits from somewhere! :)

I know how he feels! I'm 42 and I've never had this feeling before!

[truebrit71]

67. I kept my kid home yesterday...this was too important not to witness live in my mind...

..I am so sorry to hear your story, but it bodes well that he feels that way about history and politics...

[JVS]

82. What an asshole. You should encourage your kid to be a total shit for the rest of the year!

[merh]

83. Please dont take this wrong but

That "never pull my kid out of school" is to blame

The school has set schedules, the other kids may not have been interested as your son but I bet they were hungry and I know they were entitled to their lunch.

Special times for your child are for you to create and protect, that is your place.

[Rabrrrrrr]

84. Any principle that didn't set aside time for the WHOLE SCHOOL to watch an inauguration

is a shitty principle.

It happens only every four years - EVERY school should stop all classes for the twenty minutes around the inauguration moment and have the children watch it.

It's IMPORTANT.

Fer fuck's sake.

[ddeclue]

91. PRINCIPAL

A L not L E.

They mean very different things.

:)

[Rabrrrrrr]

95. the principle of my post still stands, however.

[ddeclue]

101. Since this was a thread which touches on education...

I felt it was important that we used these two words correctly.

[ZombieHorde]

87. "we do not believe in pulling kids out of school..."

Rigid rules are bad rules. Now you know, or maybe you still don't.

[booksenkatz]

94. I learned a great deal about rules today. This thread helped... thanks! nt

[.... callchet ....]

103. I grew up in a coalmining town

near Wheeling West Virginia. Most parents only had contact with their kids when they were yelling out or beating them. You just avoided home. Your story, your revelation of love, honor and respect for your child is the essence of what is good in the USA. It is worth fighting for. Thank you.

[Joe Fields]

89. devastating? did you actually say devastating?

:eyes:

[truebrit71]

96. WTF is your problem?

The kid had been promised something, something that meant an awful lot, something of a massively historical nature and then was told it wasn't going to happen...I'd call that pretty fucking devastating...

[booksenkatz]

97. Yes. Yes, I did.

I saw plenty of people on the news who got stuck in tunnels under DC, or elsewhere, and missed out as well. They seemed pretty damned upset. If this historical event -- a first in our nation's history -- was something that you really, really, really wanted to see, and that you were within mere seconds of seeing, then you were suddenly prevented from doing so, it seems almost cruel. I think 'devastated' is a word that could fairly be used to describe the resulting feeling. YMMV.

On the other hand, to be fair to you, I'm told that we Texans tend to speak in hyperbole to get our points across, especially when we're pissed off. My son knows to divide any number I give him by at least 10, e.g., "I had to park 50 miles from the front door, my feet are killing me.":hi:

[elleng]

92. Please give him a HUGE hug from me

(tho it won't mean a thing to him, I completely understand.) Did he raise the matter with her at the time or just follow along, the good kid that he is? She certainly should have understood.

[booksenkatz]

98. That's very sweet

Knowing him, he was so stunned, he was unable to speak and was too busy fighting back tears (he cries freely at home but absolutely will not allow himself to cry publicly). I'm sure he was absolutely mortified and speechless to have the rug pulled out from under him like that (whatever the teacher's intent). Plus, he never talks back to teachers (only to me).

Thanks, elleng.:)

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

93. Tell him it's okay everyone missed the swearing in.

[booksenkatz]

99. HA! Good one! I think I will do just that. nt

[deaniac21]

104. I'll light a candle for him.

[LWolf]

105. That's certainly a major crisis.

Let's see:

1. Teachers are not required to open their classrooms at lunch to begin with. At least not where I've had contracts, in two states and spreading over 1,000 miles.

2. There is no mandate forcing teachers to turn on the news in class for any event during class time.

3. Cafeterias run on tight schedules, and teachers get dressed down by admin if their kids are 1 or 2 minutes too early or too late. In every school I've ever worked in. It's not the teacher's call to decide when it's a good time to stop for lunch or visit the cafeteria.

So this teacher offered to give kids access within the structure of the day she has to work with, during her personal break, and you think she's "pulling a bait-and switch:" deliberately trying to deny access to the inauguration.

The whole nation probably ought to stop to mourn such diabolical determination to damage your child, because nothing worse is going on.

Lots of kids were eager to watch, which is why I tried to put it up in my own classroom. Not because I wanted to. I had other pressing matters to accomplish with that time. But I wanted them to witness the historic breaking of the color barrier, and they were eager to watch it, as well.

Of course, with so many classrooms trying to livestream the inauguration, the server was on overload, and we didn't get in until it was all over. My kids got to see some people leaving in a plane, and some talking heads gossiping about what they didn't get to see. I consoled them by reminding them that they could download it and rewatch it by that afternoon or evening, and we moved on.

I hope I don't lose my job over this.

:sarcasm:

[WI_DEM]

107. I think a historical event of this nature would have been fine to keep him home on 1/20