Questions for Teachers: One Mother's Frustration.
The vaccine exemption forms the nice lady at the front desk had me fill out a couple weeks ago needed to be notarized for my children to be accepted at the school. She very clearly told me at the time I filled out the forms that it did not, in fact. need the notarization.
Nevermind that the stamp changes nothing about my children's health or vaccine status. Because, beurocracy. Nevermind that they did not tell me this until minutes before everyone was leaving the building Monday night and school started at 7:40 AM the very next day.
Because of this, my trio of babes did not start school on Tuesday, they started one day late, on Wednesday. Not the biggest deal, other than the inconvenience and the kids being labeled as "new" only one day in.
This, however, is only one example of school figures doing this type of thing to parents all around the country. I'll give another example. Remember my kids have been back in school for all of 2 days at this point.
Inari came home with a brown paper bag and a sheet of paper explaining that we are to put 4-5 items that can "show the class" a bit about him. A favorite movie, photos, something from the summer etc.
It says on this paper that it is to be brought back "next week". Perfect! We can go up the hill and get a couple pictures developed over the weekend.
Then last night he tells me "The teacher says to ignore the timeline on the paper. She needs it tomorrow."
Oh. You want it tomorrow teacher? You want me to work all day long, bus all the way home, feed my kids, clean house, take care of my pets, make sure everybody reads "at least" 20 minutes and then pack everybody up, and go back out to get some photos developed tonight?
Oh teacher. That's not going to happen.
You see, teacher, like myself, many parents of the students you teach do not drive. That 10 minute drive to Walmart is a 1 hour bus ride EACH DIRECTION.
And you see, teacher, I will not be allowing you to teach my children that when you tell me to jump, I will ask you "How high?"
Inari was afraid he would get into trouble for not handing it in on time. Is this the precident you want to set, teacher? Fear in a 9-year-old over your movable deadlines? Not going to happen, Lady. At least not to my kid.
This isn't the only example or the only teacher. Last year it was kite string, needed for the next day's picnic.
Another mom upset she could not afford the items for a project due until next week, so her middle schooler would fail the class because in her words the teacher "wouldn't compromise like some kind of teacher nazi".
Teachers, do you want these kids to fail when you do stuff like this? Or is it the parent's sanity you're after?
So here is a legit question for any teacher or school related authority figure.
What causes this to happen? How can it be prevented? Is there a way to let teachers and others know that this behavior is simply not going to foster good relationships between them and parents?
Cause gosh darn it I want to have a good relationship with the person spending hours a day with the loves of my life!
Let me know your thoughts in the comments, teachers. And parents, what are your last minute request/demand examples?
Moveable deadlines in any circumstance is maddening, but when it's a teacher doling them out to kids, that's just absurd. First of all, many kids won't remember a verbal change like that, ntm the parental involvement as you pointed out. Ugh.
Notarizing is a new development. I suppose it's different with different schools in different states and whatnot. But like, about a decade ago when I started working in healthcare, I am of the the-big-ones-I-have-had-for-years-are-proven-safe-and-for-applicable-diseases vaccines, I'm okay with (read: I'll take an MMR, Tdap, and Tetanus shot just fine, thanks), but ones-that-I-am-not-in-a-risk-group-for-and/or-have-known-issues vaccines, I avoid. So in healthcare terms, they usually want workers to have a hep B vaccine series, because if you're drawing blood or otherwise coming into contact, you're at risk. Except, I wasn't a phlebotomist (the person who specifically works in a big setting like a hospital whose job it is to draw blood all day), I was a ward clerk, a paper pusher. I dealt with charts and phones at the nurses' station, I wasn't at risk. So I did piles of research and was hoping I'd have an out but not sure how definitive the requirement was. I walked into the DON's office and got a sentence out before she was like, "Oh, do you want a waiver? Here you go, sign." The end.
But then, at the hospital job I had later, it specifically is THE LAW that you can't be forced to take a flu shot by your employer (also one I don't want; it's new every year so you don't really know how safe it is if they borked it up AND I have the immune system of a God, so I'm not a high risk). One of the docs completely forced me to do it under Dire Threats. Again, I was a damn paper pusher, but uh huh. That's the only time I've ever had a flu shot. And it was given by the most incompetent RN I have ever met in my fucking life who had no idea how to give an injection. When I switched to night shift, I offered to give it to a coworker who needed one. My shift supervisor knew I was trained as an MA and ergo I know how to give injections, but she still thought I would be bad at it, because my job was paper pushing. I gave the shot and coworker was like, "THAT WAS THE BEST MOST PAINLESS SHOT I'VE EVER HAD" and supervisor was all impressed. I'm like, THAT'S HOW EVERY SHOT SHOULD BE, FFS ...but I digress. XD
There have been too many issues in our lives to continue them. Inari became very, very ill after a Pertussis vaxx, even though I was a stay at home mom at the time and he had no outside contact.
Then Little Willow had a very large and painful Hematoma develop at a DT sight, quickly followed by a horrific fever and seizures. At only 18 months old. That hemotoma lasted over a month. DT was not, apparently, "proven safe" for little girls.
And my sister in law had her whole face paralyzed by guillian barr disease, caused by another vaccine.
So, yeah, we are a non-vaxx family now. But that wasn't the point of the post.😉
Oh yeah, totally. There are known contraindications and allergies and the like, and you should totally be able to do that when you know it's a thing in your family! That's kinda the point of the "herd immunity" - so when people really can't because they've had bad reactions, like your kids, they are still somewhat protected by herd immunity.