Poll: Do you take your kid's out of school...

[arf2005]

Well if you were my child's teacher and took off a week for I cruise I think some disciplinary measure would be in order! There is a HUGE difference between a parent pulling a child out of school for a vacation and a teacher who has 20-30 kids depending on her to be there to teach:rolleyes:

:)

 

Wow, such respect you have for the teaching profession. Would you apply this same argument to someone in business who has 20-30 employees under them.

 

Teachers are people too. Why is it ok for YOU to take time off your job and go on vacation with your family and yet ask that a teacher be disciplined for doing the same thing?

[arf2005]

Yes, I As soon as the teachers and their union stop taking multiple Mondays and Fridays off throughout the school calendar and an unbelievable number of 1/2 days (or delayed starts), which cause havoc for working parents, then perhaps I'll consider the impact on their time.

The LAST thing I consider when planning a vacation is how inconvienient my vacation might be for a teacher...who incidentally I employ via my taxes...it doesn't enter my equation at all to be honest.

 

To each their own! Enjoy your vacation...in this country with such limited vacation time in the workplace we've all earned it...except teachers who get a week at Christmas, a week at Easter and every Summer off not to mention Winter and Fall breaks.

 

Wiscoleeds

 

Wow, more hostility directed at teachers. Where does all this come from? As for the vacation issue you mention, let's not forget the hours spent after the workday meeting with parents, grading papers, completing lesson plans, etc. In today's world teachers work about 60 hours a week in order to provide your child with the education they need. When you add to this the stress of being "on stage" for 7 hours each day and dealing with more and more special needs children (and more and more hostile parents) it's a wonder anyone stays in this profession any more. I would never presume that my job is more or less stressful than yours or anyone elses. However, if you truly think so poorly of teachers, go walk in their shoes for a week. I think you would be singing a different tune!

[kgk]

Kids have close to 1/3 of the year out of school, I am sure that there are some jobs that maybe time sensitive (tax season) but what employer literally tells you when to take your vacation time.

 

 

I work my vacation so that my employees can take their vacation when they wish. That means my vacation time is limited. My wife (RN) takes her vacation when she can -- seniority is an issue. -- So in a way, both of our "employers" tell us when we can take time off. It's not always at a vacation time. We also both travel occasionally for business and used to schedule family vacations around the business trips (yes to save money). Now, with our eldest in HS, my employees can no longer take the 2 weeks that I want. I'm really not sure what employer doesn't tell an employee when he can take vacation. Even in a large company -- someone must be notified. Could an entire department schedule their vacations during Christmas break for example. I'm sure someone would be told they didn't sign up fast enough. Yes, every employer literally tells people when they can go on vacation! (even teachers have designated vacations! Sometimes teachers can and do take other days off in addition to their scheduled -- mandated -- vacations).

 

We've never had a problem with our teachers. They're great. We also help out in the classrooms occasionally and attend every PTA meeting. They know us and how involved we are with our kids' education.

[hubofhockey]

Wow, such respect you have for the teaching profession. Would you apply this same argument to someone in business who has 20-30 employees under them.

 

Teachers are people too. Why is it ok for YOU to take time off your job and go on vacation with your family and yet ask that a teacher be disciplined for doing the same thing?

 

Please don't compare teachers to employees in the private businesses. Yes, teachers are people too. Nobody is saying that you aren't. However, with certain professions come certain responsibilities. Tax preparers don't take vacations from January through April 15 and work weekends during that time. It goes with the territory. Likewise, teachers are expected to teach during the school year. In exchange for that commitment, you get summers off and a bunch of other days that employees in the private sector would only dream of. The same could be said for your benefits. You chose that profession and all of the good and all of the bad that comes with it. If my employees decided to take vacations during my department's busy time, they would be terminated. We can't function any other way.

 

As for teachers and others trying to make parents feel guilty about saving money, I wonder if you also believe that parents should feel guilty about not sending their kids to the best private schools out there. After all, it's only money and you argue that saving money at the expense of education is not an excuse. The entire decision here depends on the particular child and the particular circumstances.

[njs]

Wow, such respect you have for the teaching profession. Would you apply this same argument to someone in business who has 20-30 employees under them.

 

Teachers are people too. Why is it ok for YOU to take time off your job and go on vacation with your family and yet ask that a teacher be disciplined for doing the same thing?

 

I do respect teachers (I come from a family of many teachers and RNs). I just cant see the similarity between a teacher taking a wk off school and a child going with family for a wk. No teacher goes into the job without knowing what their vacation schedule will be (and their are few jobs that offer a 2 month summer holiday, Christmas and Easter break, spring break and major holidays off) and it is not affected by seniority. However in nursing( and many other jobs for that matter) seniority does come into play for vacation time, and the actual vacation time alloted per year is considerably less that what a teacher receives. Also, none of the teachers in my family have ever said they wished to be nurses, but plenty of the nurses wondered why they hadnt chosen teaching. Both jobs have ups and downs, but I think people involved in public service should do what they are hired to do and work when they are scheduled to work. I dont care for bedpans and puke, but as a nurse I dont have the option to say Im not taking care of those problems today - the same as I dont feel a teacher should decide to go on vacation when she is sceduled to work. Hence my comment about a teacher taking off during school time for a vacation. Maybe that is allowed in some places, but certainly not here. Personal days here aren't really meant for extended vacation time but more for emergency issues etc.

[walkswife]

A lot of the people that say that they take the kids out of school talk about family time, well there is plenty of time in the school calendar that they are NOT in school, prob about 14/15 weeks all told. So I think it is selfish and not responsible to take the kids out of school for a week or more just for cheap prices. Close to 1/3 of the year a child will not be in school, what employment do you have that is time sensitive that your employer tells YOU when to take your two weeks vacation. Not sure, maybe CPA's during tax season??????

 

I live and work in a touristy area.... my employer for this reason has a rule that no vacation time is to be taken from April 1st to October 31st..... This is our busy season.... this being said Yes I have taken my kids out of school for family vacations, it is the only time that works for us.....

 

Not to mention the fact that my husband was severely disabled in a work accident several years ago and now can't do alot of things with his kids he would have liked to have.... I wish we had taken more time to do things like this before his accident and had those memories to pull us through some of the harder times now when he can't do them.... when they say live every day like it's your last.... it's really good advice.... make good memories to help you when the bad might come.... you never know....

[MamaParrotHead]

I have to pipe in here. My wife and I have pretty strong feelings that when our 2 year old starts school our off season vacations will stop and we will just have to grin and bear it.

 

I don't have a problem with one or two days missed for travel but an entire week does, IMHO, seem to send the wrong message to the child about the priority of education. There are far too many other distractions to schoolchildren today that diminishes the priority of education without Dad and Mom adding to it.

 

I'm sorry if anyone finds that offensive; however, it is just my opinion.

 

As the child of a teacher, it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth...like the sleezy businessman who takes afternoons off to "entertain out of town clients" and is out on the golf course. Schools have attendance requirements for a reason. And I laugh at the people who say that the cruise they just booked "happens" to be on a week where school is in session. No, it didn't just "happen", I'm sure the school calendar has been set for a while, you just didn't look or didn't care.

 

And I agree that it IS about responsbility...providing an example to your children on how to fulfill theirs (meaning, attending school) before any "playing" or vacationing can be done.

[Sandi149]

Wow, such respect you have for the teaching profession. Would you apply this same argument to someone in business who has 20-30 employees under them.

 

Teachers are people too. Why is it ok for YOU to take time off your job and go on vacation with your family and yet ask that a teacher be disciplined for doing the same thing?

 

I personally don't take my kids out of school for vacations. When we take a family vacation we usually do it the end of August, about 2 weeks before school starts.

 

I also have very high respect for teachers....hey they have to deal with a lot of unruly kids on a day to day basis, but no I do not think they should take off during the school year. I don't know about other cities but here in NY City the public school system has 2 months off in the summer, 1 week off in Feb, 1 week off in March or April, 1 week off for Christmas and a whole bunch of assorted other holidays. That adds up to close to 4 months off. People in the school system have the MOST vacation time of any other profession that I know of. My husband and I or anyone else that I know who isn't a teacher or works in a school, certainly doesn't get that much vacation time.

[MamaParrotHead]

Well if you were my child's teacher and took off a week for I cruise I think some disciplinary measure would be in order! There is a HUGE difference between a parent pulling a child out of school for a vacation and a teacher who has 20-30 kids depending on her to be there to teach:rolleyes:

 

But it's not like class is CANCELLED if the teacher misses class. They leave lessons plans in the hands of capable substitute teachers and class is still held, for crying out loud.

[shorebilly]

People seem very emotional over this. I was raised by a teacher yet we were taught the value of travel for educational purpose. I now have a 3rd grader and a 7th grader. Both of my children miss about 2 weeks a year due to family trips. I am fortunate in that they are both straight A students, travelling has never hurt their grades and 90% of all homework is ussually done before we even leave. Swimming with sting rays is much more educational than watching a video about stingrays! Also, my husband is a chef, he is very, very busy when everyone else is on vacation. We take our time whenever we can get it!

[Lib0007]

Since this is a very sensitive subject, I'm sticking to the original question!

 

Our son is in 2nd grade, and since he started kindergarten, we have been vacationing with the masses . . . only on school breaks. He goes to a small Catholic school and they frown upon the kids missing school unless absolutely necessary, and it is tough for us to make the missed work up.

 

We don't want to cruise in the summer, so we've been planning our cruises either on spring break or the week of Thanksgiving (during this week, he would have to miss 2 days of school). This works well for us, and saves us money as summer cruises would cost more. We usually do land vacations during the summer.

[GoinCruisin]

But it's not like class is CANCELLED if the teacher misses class. They leave lessons plans in the hands of capable substitute teachers and class is still held, for crying out loud.

 

I agree...

 

It amazes me... the people that are saying they should be able to pull their kids out of school at any time, regardless of the additional work it causes the teacher... that family time is more important, and their schedules don't always work with the kids vacation time... yet a teacher doesn't have the same rights?? A teachers family is somehow LESS important than YOUR family?? :confused: So if the only time a teachers spouse can take vacation is during the school year, and that teacher decides his/her family is important and wants to spend family time together, how is that ANY different than what the parents are saying they are doing with their kids?? They have substitute teachers, they don't have substitute students. I just don't get it. teachers have far less vacation time than students have, yet it's okay for them to take additional vacation during the year... just not teachers. They of course should just tell their families tough luck :rolleyes:

[hubofhockey]

I agree...

 

I just don't get it. teachers have far less vacation time than students have, yet it's okay for them to take additional vacation during the year... just not teachers. They of course should just tell their families tough luck :rolleyes:

 

Yes, that's a difference between being an adult and a child. Children don't hold down full-time jobs. Life is unfair. Isn't it?

 

If school systems want to give teachers additional vacation time during the school year, that's between the school and the teacher. Nobody is arguing otherwise. However, if it's not in your personal contract or your union negotiated contract, it doesn't make any sense to compare your awful plight with that of others.

[cruise182]

Here is a shocker. I once got in a heated debate about this issue with a friend on CC. I use to have no problem with taking kids out of school. But guess what? I will not be pulling my kids out of school. Will I tell you what to do with your kids?? Heck NO. For me, welll for my kids, I will not be doing so in the future.

[GoinCruisin]

Yes, that's a difference between being an adult and a child. Children don't hold down full-time jobs. Life is unfair. Isn't it?

 

If school systems want to give teachers additional vacation time during the school year, that's between the school and the teacher. Nobody is arguing otherwise. However, if it's not in your personal contract or your union negotiated contract, it doesn't make any sense to compare your awful plight with that of others.

 

My friends (teachers) have no problem taking time off during the school year... for vacation. If the school system has no problem with it, then you shouldn't either. My problem is with the people that say it is okay to pull their kids out for "family time", but a teacher shouldn't be able to do the same... there are some that weigh the responsibilities of a full time job with that of an education... I know, it's crazy!!! I don't care what you do, but don't come down on teachers when they do the same thing... if a school allows the teacher the time off, you shouldn't have a problem with it. If the school allows the child to be taken out of school, you shouldn't have a problem with it.

[nealstuber]

Wow, more hostility directed at teachers. Where does all this come from? ..... Go walk in their shoes for a week. I think you would be singing a different tune!

 

Can I choose a week in July, August, or anytime around the holidays?

 

We've always appreciated special effort put forth by our kid's teachers but the constant mantra about how hard teachers work gets me going.

 

I've had a hand in choosing my job and its benefits (or lack thereof) so I don't expect anyone to walk in my shoes. Many of the teachers on this thread have presumed to do so when the say taking our kids out for vacation creates too much work for them.

 

The one who asked "other than CPAs during tax season, why is it so hard for folks to get off when thei kids have off?" showed a stunning lack of ... something. Not all of us have substitutes to cover for us when we're out. For many of us with school age kids, the prime vacation weeks are usually taken by folks with more vacation time and first dibs on when to use it. We're also subject to layoff and facility closure and can find ourselves starting our careers over two or three times (often with no vacation for the first year).

 

I guess THESE teachers need to walk in our shoes to understand what employment without tenure or substitues is like.

[Cuizer2]

As a high school sophomore, I've been very interested in these responses. I'm currently in a year-long research and presentation class, and my topic of choice is travel and the tourism industry. I've incorporated quite a bit of cruise information, and I know this topic is one of significant discussion and debate. I've also been looking at cruise rates, and I was amazed at the price drop for off-season cruises. For the past couple of family vacations, I've been doing my own research beforehand to find the best options and prices, so the cheaper cruise rates definitely made me consider suggesting an off-season cruise to my parents. As mentioned before, there are numerous factors involved in whether parents take their children out of school. However, I know that it would be hard for me to make up the work missed because of my personal schedule. My math and chemistry classes depend on lectures, and my language class is based on presentations. I'm also copy editor of the yearbook, and it would be hard for me to take much home in that class. I have friends who take vacations during the school year, and I would love to be able to take advantage of the benefits of cruising off-season; however, with the structure of my schedule, I know this would be difficult for me. Again, though, the decision to pull children out of school depends on numerous aspects -- including the ages of the children, the ability and ease of making up missed work and the school's guidelines -- and it's not up to me to decide this for a family. :)

 

You are right, it is not the right choice for everyone. However, for some it does work better. Yet there are all these "adults" who think they know better than the actual parents what is best for the everyone else's children and family.

 

The parents are responsible for the family and it is the parents who will make the decision. And that is the bottom line. Those that think it is "nuts" are entitled to their opinion, but they are not entitled to dictate to other parents how they will run their family. Unfortunately, as you can see from some of the posts, they have a hard time accepting this.

[Cuizer2]

I guess another reason I have a problem with this is testing. We have test every quarter on what is taught in the classroom. If a child misses a week then that's lots of info that is missed. The child scores low and the teachers look bad.

 

Stupid city and state testing. Thanks No Child Left Behind............

 

Just because the government has a bunch of "stupid" rules does not mean the parents have to act equally stupid. More education takes place outside of the classroom than inside the classroom.

[arf2005]

Can I choose a week in July, August, or anytime around the holidays?

 

We've always appreciated special effort put forth by our kid's teachers but the constant mantra about how hard teachers work gets me going.

 

I've had a hand in choosing my job and its benefits (or lack thereof) so I don't expect anyone to walk in my shoes. Many of the teachers on this thread have presumed to do so when the say taking our kids out for vacation creates too much work for them.

 

The one who asked "other than CPAs during tax season, why is it so hard for folks to get off when thei kids have off?" showed a stunning lack of ... something. Not all of us have substitutes to cover for us when we're out. For many of us with school age kids, the prime vacation weeks are usually taken by folks with more vacation time and first dibs on when to use it. We're also subject to layoff and facility closure and can find ourselves starting our careers over two or three times (often with no vacation for the first year).

 

I guess THESE teachers need to walk in our shoes to understand what employment without tenure or substitues is like.

 

Not one single teacher started their career with tenure so I guess they do know what it's like. When a teacher has a substitute they spend time (off the clock) making lesson plans beforehand and then more time (off the clock) catching up when they return. The majority of teachers would probably tell you it is much more work to be gone than it is to be at school. It is very obvious from the views here why so many teachers now leave the field before ever attaining tenure (6 years in most states). Many of you seem upset over the time off and yet refuse to see the amount of work done during the school year that is above and beyond the 8 hour day. That doesn't take into account the stress factor.

 

As for taking the kids out of school most teachers I know are very supportive of parents who can afford to take their children on such trips. Those who aren't are few and far between.

 

P.S. Thanks GoinCruisin - I think you are one of the few who actually seem to understand what I was getting at and that is simply that teachers are people too with spouses who have to take vacations at times of the year that may conflict with the school year. The fact of the matter is, very few teachers do this. However, if they were to chose to do so, they shouldn't be judged any differently than other segments of society.

[maddea20]

Please calm down about kids missing out on there work from school when we all know that information, esp for school age kids, goes in one ear and out the other. Those kids aren't missing anything when they go on a little week's vacation because even if they were in school they wouldn't be paying attention anyways. Going to school is so overrated :rolleyes: .

[njs]

My friends (teachers) have no problem taking time off during the school year... for vacation. If the school system has no problem with it, then you shouldn't either. My problem is with the people that say it is okay to pull their kids out for "family time", but a teacher shouldn't be able to do the same... there are some that weigh the responsibilities of a full time job with that of an education... I know, it's crazy!!! I don't care what you do, but don't come down on teachers when they do the same thing... if a school allows the teacher the time off, you shouldn't have a problem with it. If the school allows the child to be taken out of school, you shouldn't have a problem with it.

 

Actually I think you've got it backwards. If you go back to the first and 2nd page you will see that teachers were chastising the parents for taking their kids out of school , not the parents complaining about the teachers- as a matter of fact parents who take their kids out of school were characterized as "nuts" ,"irresponsible" ,"selfish" ,and the best one "like a sleezy businessman.....":(

Bottom line, it's a personal choice when and where we vacation because we live in the land of the free:D

[GoinCruisin]

Actually I think you've got it backwards. If you go back to the first and 2nd page you will see that teachers were chastising the parents for taking their kids out of school , not the parents complaining about the teachers- as a matter of fact parents who take their kids out of school were characterized as "nuts" ,"irresponsible" ,"selfish" ,and the best one "like a sleezy businessman.....":(

Bottom line, it's a personal choice when and where we vacation because we live in the land of the free:D

 

Oh, so you didn't say this?? :confused: How do I have it backwards? Since I was referring to your post... I've read the entire thread... your post was the one that I was referring to however...

 

Well if you were my child's teacher and took off a week for I cruise I think some disciplinary measure would be in order! There is a HUGE difference between a parent pulling a child out of school for a vacation and a teacher who has 20-30 kids depending on her to be there to teach:rolleyes:

:)

[njs]

Oh, so you didn't say this?? :confused: How do I have it backwards? Since I was referring to your post... I've read the entire thread... your post was the one that I was referring to however...

 

Well if you were my child's teacher and took off a week for I cruise I think some disciplinary measure would be in order! There is a HUGE difference between a parent pulling a child out of school for a vacation and a teacher who has 20-30 kids depending on her to be there to teach:rolleyes:

:)

 

What I stated was that at the first of this thread, it was the teachers who were complaining about irresponsible, nutty, selfish, parents who take their children out of school, not parents complaining about teachers taking time off. As a matter of fact the op asked if parents take their kids out of school for cruises. It was the teachers who judged initially and I guess that initiated the negative responses in return. So I guess we'll just agree to disagree

[TracersQQ]

I have pulled my son out of school, for vacations. Since he went to middle and high school, I don't do it, as often. I can not take vacations, during the Summer months, due to my job. The end of March through the end of October are our busy time, I am not permitted to take a full week or more off. I can take 1 or 2 days, here and there off - so we do go to the beach or to amusement parks, for a long weekend, during the Summer. As of yet, my son hasn't been on a cruise (we've gone without him), but we have gone to Disney world, a few times, in the Winter months. The principal was very understanding. He said quality family time is just as important as school (in different ways, of course.) And because of my work schedule, the school completely understood. In our school district, if you fill out a form, give good reason and describe the ways the trip is educational, then contact the teachers for the assignments, the district will approve the trip. The last time I took my son out of school was when he was in 5th grade. 2 years, ago, we went to Florida for 10 days, but we planned it around Thanksgiving. I will be taking him out, of school, in November or December, this year, for a cruise. I don't think it will be easy, for him, to make up the work, but I know he will be able to handle it. Plus, the school will send a good bit of his assignments, with us. I will make sure that he makes the time to work on his school work. I think, it'll be easier to do school work on a cruise than it was to do it in Disney. By the way, he will be in 10th grade, by the time we go on the cruise.

[GoinCruisin]

What I stated was that at the first of this thread, it was the teachers who were complaining about irresponsible, nutty, selfish, parents who take their children out of school, not parents complaining about teachers taking time off. As a matter of fact the op asked if parents take their kids out of school for cruises. It was the teachers who judged initially and I guess that initiated the negative responses in return. So I guess we'll just agree to disagree

 

I know what was said at the beginning of the thread... but not sure what that has to do with your post, condemning teachers that would do the same (going on vacation during the school year) I was referring to ONLY the posts that seemed to condemn teachers for doing the exact same thing parents wanted to do... I was not replying to the OP, or any of the other posts... I thought that was clear, I'm sorry it wasn't. I guess you wouldn't have felt that way or had that opinion had teachers not said what they did? I disagreed with your post that stated teachers should be punished if they took vacation during the school year.... they do it, and are not punished, nor should they be if they have approval from the school board, not the parents.