My 15 year old daughter hasn't missed a day of school since 7th grade

[scheming daemons]

She's been lucky, never getting anything more than a mild cold, and never having an absence for any other reason.

She's a straight A student, currently ranked #3 in her class of 450-ish.


The School District has decided to not play the President's speech to the whole school, leaving it up the individual teachers to decide if they will show it.

Since I haven't heard back from my daughter's teachers as to whether they will show it or not....

... my daughter is staying home tomorrow.



We're watching it together. I'm taking a half-day.


Fuck you, rightwingers. Fuck you, cowardly school boards.

[skier_]

1. Good for you!

I think you are making the right decision. It amazes me really that people would not want their children to hear this.

[rufus dog]

3. On two counts!

Good for you for teaching her respect and good for you for raising such a smart child. It takes a lot of work.

[CoffeeCat]

2. You rock...

...for raising such a super kid, and for demonstrating to her that sometimes it's necessary to stand up for
what is right.

Good on you!

:)

[Name removed]

4. Deleted sub-thread

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

[NYC_SKP]

5. You could mail them the text of the speech tonight and ask them WTF.

And write a LTTE, too.

Here's the speech:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8634352

[yodoobo]

6. One great thing, is that after Tuesday

We'll know who the right wingers are, and who the real Americans are in the classrooms across America.

In classes where the speech is presented, those who don't show will be effectively identified as right wing nutjobs and the kids will know to avoid them.

Good for you on making the right decision to stand by our President and let your child enjoy the history making aspects of this.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Insist her absence not be counted

Schools do this all the time, as when kids on an academic team like debate are absent for a tournament.

[Fridays Child]

8. Our district is doing the same thing, exactly.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6488105&mesg_id=6488105

[W_HAMILTON]

9. If it's any consolation...

I missed about a week in the 2nd grade when I had chicken pox, and about a week in the 11th grade when my father died.

That's it.

It didn't really get me anywhere. I did well in school, but I could have missed some days in between and done just as well. It sounds like your daughter does well in school, too.

Not that it sounds like you are worried, but yeah, missing the day won't hurt her in the long-run :)

[zonkers]

10. Way to go. I am getting such a good vibe reading threads like this. I am fired up!!!!!

[roody]

11. Hooray for you from a primary teacher.

[ShadowLiberal]

12. I think you should really listen to Obama and have your kid 'stay in school' and watch it later

Why can't your kid watch it after school?

I know it's really idiotic how right wingers are attacking Obama's speech, but the fact is that most schools & teachers probably wouldn't have aired it anyway, including your school district.

Judging the other replies here however I seem to be in the minority.

[yodoobo]

13. Its also about being a true American and standing by our President

and showing that we will NOT be bullied by the nutjobs.

[scheming daemons]

15. Because I'm trying to teach my daughter a lesson in right-and-wrong as well

...and standing up for what you believe in.

It deserves to be seen live.


...and precisely BECAUSE of my daughter's academic and attendance record, it might just resonate a little bit with her teachers.

[John Q. Citizen]

14. I hope you tell the office why your daughter is out.

[scheming daemons]

17. When she goes back on Wednesday, she has to bring a note...

...I'm still drafting the words of the note... something along the lines of:

"Please excuse my daughter's absence from school on Tuesday. She was at home getting a civics lesson on standing up for what is right because her teachers and administrators decided she shouldn't be able to see the President's address to the nation's school children."

[John Q. Citizen]

19. Good. But what if her teacher shows it? Maybe you should call in the morning and a

ask.

If i were teaching I'd show it and I wouldn't send home a letter. I'd just do it.

On the other hand, it will be fun to watch it together.

[scheming daemons]

20. I sent an email to the teacher.. no response yet.

Better respond before the bus comes tomorrow morning...

[demmiblue]

22. You probably need to send your excuse to the office...

teachers cannot excuse your child. Email or call the attendance office.

[scheming daemons]

23. The note goes with my daughter and is given to homeroom teacher

[John Q. Citizen]

26. If no response then you gotta do what you gotta do.

Enjoy the speech with your daughter.

I would.

[asdjrocky]

16. My daughter, bless her heart,

was a nut about not missing school and also an honors student in high school. I'm glad she's out now and in college because if her school would have pulled crap like this it would have killed her to stay home, but she would have done it.

You're a good parent.

[shanti]

18. heh, the school boards

that opposed showing the speech really shot themselves in the foot by telling people they weren't showing it at schools. i hope they lose MILLIONS for their decision because of parents like you who worked around it! i'd have done the same thing.

kudos, mom! :thumbsup:

[scheming daemons]

21. Thanks... but I'm a dad, not a mom

;-)

[shanti]

24. sorry dad!

;)

[Froward69]

25. thumbs up.

:patriot:

[JI7]

27. they were talking about not counting as absence for those who stayed home

so they wouldn't watch the speech.

how about those who stay home because their school isn't showing the speech and their parents and them to see it ?

[applegrove]

28. That is the spirit.