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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is my child’s school being extremely unreasonable?

313 replies

RainbowSlidders · 18/09/2024 13:42

As the title says, I am so bloody angry/upset right now I don’t want to respond until I have had confirmation that they are being as unreasonable as I think.

I lost my dad on Sunday late evening, he lived 300+ miles away including a ferry journey we rushed down Friday AFTER school and drove back early hours of Monday morning all kids attended school Monday. This was a very unexpected death, he had not been ill and was very active and health for a 78 year old. He suffered a brain haemorrhage, the bleed was massive and catastrophic.

Due to cultural differences the funeral lasts 7 days, I understand this is not the norm and my children won’t be attending the full 7 days. The service will take place Thursday, I submitted a leave of absence form for Wed/Thurs/Fri due to the journey. The attendance officer from my son’s school has just rang and been extremely unpleasant, said it will be unauthorised as it’s not viewed by the school as an exceptional circumstance and we will be charged £160 fine as my son had a week off in July for surgery. I made it clear I did not agree and the fine won’t change my mind I was going to my dad’s funeral. I also said it was exceptional circumstances as you only die once, maybe not my finest moment but it was the least rude thing I could think of.

Am I being ridiculous? I have been feeling really off since Sunday, crying on and off for no particular reason so not sure if it is actually me being unreasonable. Monday after dropping the younger 2 at school I had to drop my eldest daughter off at university for her first day which was also very emotional for us both.

OP posts:
ilovelamp82 · 18/09/2024 13:51

Definitely unreasonable. The surgery should have been authorised and so should these 3 days. Writing to the governors seems like a good idea. But I would certainly not be paying a fine. They could take me to court if they liked. No reasonable thinking person would think that is ok.

Closing the school for 2 days for the maths teacher is also crazy and probably worth mentioning in your letter to the governors.

I'm sorry about your Dad.

YellowphantGrey · 18/09/2024 13:51

Sounds a bit odd. For reference I lost my Mom this year and funeral was in middle of gcse. I let DS tutor know and she got an advanced copy of the exam timetable and there was an exam that day. I said he would attend the exam. I then got a phone call off the Head of Year saying absolutely don't worry and DS went to the funeral and sat the exam on on the spare days assigned.

Can you appeal it?

AgainandagainandagainSS · 18/09/2024 13:50

Having also suffered a bereavement recently, I honestly think some people enjoy making people’s lives difficult at a time when they just need people to make them that tiny bit easier.

So sorry about your dad OP. Go to the funeral. She can stick her policy. Hope your daughter is ok starting uni just after losing her grandad…

noblegiraffe · 18/09/2024 13:50

I’m sorry to hear about your dad and that the school is making things more difficult for you when you really don’t need it.

My school would authorise a grandparent’s funeral as exceptional circumstances, including travel. The surgery would also be authorised.

Look up the school complaints procedure, in this instance it would probably be the head that you need to escalate this to, including the shitty attitude of the attendance officer when you are grieving.

rubyslippers · 18/09/2024 13:48

The surgery should have been authorised as medical leave so that’s a mistake on their part
They are being totally unreasonable / not culturally sensitive and I would make a complaint

Ohmycarrots · 18/09/2024 13:48

When my little girl passed, my boys were allowed a good few days off with no concerns. I'd go further.

Whatevershallidowithmylife · 18/09/2024 13:47

I’m sorry for your loss. I wouldn’t give a damn whether they wanted to authorise it or not to be quite honest, nor would I be paying any fine. This world is bloody ridiculous!

AutumnLeaves91 · 18/09/2024 13:47

They’re being unreasonable and I’d be considering complaining! Not just for how incorrect they are as yes it is exceptional, but also being culturally insensitive!

I’m so sorry to hear of your loss, @RainbowSlidders, I hope you’re able to take it easy soon 🧡

Allywill · 18/09/2024 13:46

They are being completely unreasonable and I am so sorry they have been so unpleasant at a difficult time for you. i understand you can appeal any fine and if I were you I definitely would.

modgepodge · 18/09/2024 13:45

This doesn’t sound right. The absence for surgery should be authorised for medical reasons. Absence for a funeral - well, I think it should be authorised, but legally not sure where you stand on that. So those days may be unauthorised. But, if the surgery was authorised, then only 3 days off shouldn’t trigger a fine. It’s probably not worth arguing about whether the funeral is authorised, but I’d fight them about the surgery. This should save you the fine, as long as he doesn’t have any more unauthorised absences for a while (10 weeks I think).

sorry about your dad 😞

TickingAlongNicely · 18/09/2024 13:45

July was medical so its irrelevant
So this is 3 days, so below the fine threshold. It doesnt matter if its authorised or not essentially.

So basically, the attendance person is being an intensive jobsworth.

RainbowSlidders · 18/09/2024 13:45

Not heard from my youngest secondary school as of yet.
I want to ring her back and call her a fucking hypocrite as in 2022 they closed school for two full days so staff could go to a math teachers funeral that died of breast cancer. Normally I would never say anything like that but I am so fucking angry right now.

OP posts:
Corksoles · 18/09/2024 13:44

Make a complaint to the governors. This is hideous. I'm a governor. I would go ape shit if this happened at my school.

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