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School Attendance

InNeedOfGuidance12's picture

A little background, we have 50/50 week on/week off custody with BM. We're having issues with SD12 going to school on BM's week. She has 15 absences, 2 of which are from an "educational trip" to the cabin that we take every year. The other 13 are all on BM's weeks. Aside from the issue that she needs to be on school, is the truancy issue. Absences this high require a doctors note for every absence or we will be referred to a magistrate judge for compulsory attendance issues. Has anyone ever dealt with this?

I don't want fined for absences we have no control over.

Comments

oneoffour's picture

Just watch it. You taking the girl to your cabin may not be seen so educational by BM. Granted it is only a 16th of the time she has taken off school but be prepared to have to accept that maybe the 'educational' trip to the cabin may have to wait for a different date when she doesn't miss school. Or you go to the cabin without her.

I doubt the courts will do anything to you though. 2 days? She could have had a fever on day one and you cannot send a child back to school unless they are fever-free for 24 hrs (day two). However you haven't any control over what BM does on her days. And once this is clarified to the judge he will split the issue.

I would actually tell SD that as she has already missed too much school all cabin trips are cancelled for her until she is attending school more often.

InNeedOfGuidance12's picture

I was considering that too. It is my parents that schedule the trip. We did approve it with BM. I've discussed not including SD this year due to attendance issues. Unfortunately I don't control when the trip is scheduled as it is often scheduled around my youngest sister's college schedule. It's just unfortunate because I've gone every year since I was about 5 years old, and my daughter will be going. This wasn't our first year taking her, and before the 50/50 her mother used to write the education trip excuse. It sucks to have to take away something when she always does the right thing on our time--but I can't justify the time off with her attendance record.

InNeedOfGuidance12's picture

Also our 2 absences were approved by the school as an educational trip because we submitted the educational trip form 1 month prior. (We usually go in October). Also the trip is scheduled a year in advances because it's a State Park rental cabin, not just a cabin my family owns and visits on a whim.

oneoffour's picture

OK well fair enough. However she still should miss the trip. What is the reason she is missing school? What does she tell you? Mom won't take her? She doesn't get up in time?

tryingmom's picture

We've just been through this. BM was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and had to appear in truancy court with SS15. BM tried to get everyone to believe that she is a poor little single parent who can't control big bad SS15. The judge asked about her living situation so he figured out she wasn't so single. He told her that she is the parent and has to start acting like one. SS15 has community service, Scared Straight program, BM has to pay a hefty fine and the judge put a plan in place where both BM and SS15 is held accountable. We'll see how it all turns out but we already know that SS15 will be repeating a grade so DH will be paying CS until SS15 turns 19.

blueorblackink's picture

My boss went to court for this issue on Monday. Her DD has a bad kidney, she has had surgery once but due to scarring they may operate again. So she misses a lot of school. My boss just calls her doctor instead of taking her in because it saves on co-pays. But no note from a phone call.

The court accused my boss of neglect, they threatened to take her children away, and they threatened her with jail time, and they put her on probation until the end of the school year. I think she has to meet with a probation officer. Even though her DD has a medial condition without the actual doctors note the absences are unexcused.

If I were you, just be certain you can prove the absences are on BM's time. Get the dates from the school and proof of your custodial time. Then the punishment should be on her.