Let me ask the parents of school age children....

becktours · July 1, 2008

While I try never to take my kids' out of school, I did cave and pull them out for our 10 night Emerald Princess cruise back in March. :smile:

Since the 10 night cruise started just a few days before their Spring Break, they only missed a couple of days of school. I wrote a letter to the school and told them about the different counties the kids' would be visiting and that they would both write reports on their adventures.

My 11 year old daughter always keeps a journal of her travel adventures. I'm really proud that she and my oldest son really appreciate the different cultures they see and love to travel.

Now that my oldest is going into Middle School, I doubt that I will ever pull them out of school again for a cruise!

PATJUD · July 1, 2008

O my goodness!!

I should have kept going and ignored this one.

Speaking as a teacher with 37 years experience at the Middle School level: You are correct. Travel is educational. Getting geography lessons first hand is wonderful. Learning about other cultures is fantastic. Being with family more than just at breakfast and dinner is great.

HOWEVER: Things are happening in the classroom every day based on a state planned curriculum which is then followed by testing over what was taught in that curriculum. Students are going to miss vital information every day that they are not in every one of their classes. Classes are not standing still while your child is absent. There is absolutely no way to make up a missed day of class instruction. All the reports pulled from books and the internet can never make up for a day missed in school. Most of them are copied directly from the book or the internet. OK - Moms and Dads, I'm not trying to step on your toes and I know each of you has special children that would never do this. Remember - I'm speaking from 37 years of teaching experience.

The entire life of the school now depends on this testing process that has come about under "Leave No Child Behind." Teachers don't get to pick their students so we take what we are assigned and it is very difficult when the students are absent from the classroom. If a school fails to perform and improve from year to year on these tests, the entire school faculty can be dismissed or moved to another location. If the school isn't doing well, the better students flee from that school as parents pull every trick in the book to move them and then the school even does worse with the testing.

At certain grade levels - if the student fails the test - the student can not proceed to the next grade and may find themselves in summer school and being re-tested.

So - your child's teachers are not pleased when you pull them from their classes for traveling and cruises. There's nothing we can do about it but we are not pleased. As I said - not being in class, jeopardizes the teacher, the school, and the student.

There are MANY faults with "Leave No Child Behind" and no one has been willing to work out these problems. There are problems with the tests that are being given as well, but we are forced to live with this law. In the State of Georgia just last month, everyone was shocked when state School Superintendent Kathy Cox announced that 70 to 80 percent of sixth- and seventh-graders had failed the social studies exam. About 40 percent of Georgia's 124,000 eighth-graders failed in math. The announcement was made that the tests were flawed but all these kids had to go to summer school and be retested anyway.

So get mad with me, get mad with "Leave No Child Behind," get mad with your child's school and teachers but don't take them out of their classes.

JoeyandDavid · July 1, 2008

When I first posted this question I was hoping you would respond!

Judson, Thanks for a view from the scholastic side..it only goes to enhance this discussion.

Gregswife · July 1, 2008

We never took our kids out of school for vacations. There were a few times when they had to miss a day or two due to a family event happening in Oklahoma and we needed an extra day or so for travel, but I always contacted the school beforehand and got any assignments they might miss and made them do the work while we were away. All vacations were planned around their summer, spring or winter breaks. It is so easy for them to fall behind and while they may have been making up any work that was assigned at that time, I did not want them to miss the discussions and instructing that went on in the classroom. We always took our cruises in the summer, and while it would have been cheaper to do so in the "off-seasons" it was just never an option. It is much nicer now that they are grown and we can travel at our whims...

55ChevyLady · July 1, 2008

Well Joey, I seem to be the ONLY person with school age children who is planning to yank their kids out of school to travel. Or would ever plan to...

Do what you feel is the correct thing to do Joey. Each situation is different.

As you have said before, looks like I am standing alone out here... And remember folks, people in Arkansas are always grateful for the Mississippi education system.

Thanks for an interesting discussion good buddy.

JoeyandDavid · July 1, 2008

Well Joey, I seem to be the ONLY person with school age children who is planning to yank their kids out of school to travel. Or would ever plan to...

I don't think that is true...LOL

But I do agree it is a personal decision... hopefully most parents make that decision based on whats best for ALL those concerned.. especially the child's education...

Personally I don't think I would take them out for the Caribbean or Mexico.. but if they had a chance for hands on contact in old Europe .....I would have to think really hard...sometimes in life I think you have to seize the opportunities when they arrive..

hazelson · July 2, 2008

Like Joan and Joe we had a handicapped daughter - who went to school in spite of the fact it was purely for social reasons. We knew the likelihood of her living long enough to graduate was very slim. So we took her on holidays when we could and as often as we could .... and she also spent a lot of time at Canuck Place during the school year - just because it was fun and she was treated like a princess. It was also educational as she got to meet many special kids like herself as well as celebs - like J. K. Rowling who gave each child an autographed Harry Potter several weeks before it hit the bookstores.

It all depends on the situation I suppose.

coloradocruisers · July 2, 2008

We still have three kids in school; but the only time we cruised during the school year was during a period where Sharon home schooled my older two. All kids are in the public school system now, so we can't do that anymore. I might be willing to consider it, but my oldest insists on not missing class. He's in high school, and perfect attendance is one of the criteria for exemption from finals.

Kevin

hazelson · July 3, 2008

Kevin - it sounds like your son has the right idea - great incentive for not skipping class! You must be very proud of him :thumbup:

coloradocruisers · July 4, 2008

Kevin - it sounds like your son has the right idea - great incentive for not skipping class! You must be very proud of him

Indeed I am Jennifer, for many reasons that I won't list here. Let's just say I don't loose very much sleep over my kids. I have two well rounded boys, and a little girl who will probably grow up to wear big red hats. :biggrin: