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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think this is fucked up (school 100% attendance)

523 replies

cricketmum84 · 07/09/2021 16:35

Recieved this letter from school before the start of term tomorrow.

I have a lovely, well behaved and studious year 8 girl who would love to attend 100%. However she had a bowel condition that causes extreme pain 2-3 days per month, enough so that she is unable to attend school.

Unfortunately she doesn't have the "resilience" needed to get these rewards.

Utter twats.

OP posts:
thebeatingofthedrums · 07/09/2021 18:34

Idiotic in a pandemic, and discriminatory in general.

The only time I took off when in school was for a significant bereavement and for hospital appointments. If there had been a special award available to all the other children and I had been blocked from it, I wouldn't have deserved to have been blocked from it. If I feel the injustice bubbling up in me as an adult, the kids must be gutted.

If they want this stupid scheme, they need to introduce exceptions, such as absences supported by a doctor's note or PCR booking etc are not counted. However, that would involve a lot of admin, which I'm sure no one at school has time to deal with.

If the issue is that the school want to reward the children who turn up but aren't particularly skilled at something, they can do alternative criteria, like an award for positivity or helping people. 100% attendance is a stupid, stupid thing to reward.

EspressoDoubleShot · 07/09/2021 18:35

Dreadful and discriminatory to children with health conditions. Punitive too
Imagine all the Violet Beauregarde children rockin up for their lunch queue jump

user1745 · 07/09/2021 18:35

Oh I hate this kind of thing. So much talk of inclusivity and non-discrimination and yet schools still think it's ok to exclude students with genuine reasons for absence (whether short term or long term) from privileges and rewards?

I understand there are children from chaotic families or children who truant who need encouragement to come into school whenever they can, but I don't think it's helping them either to teach them that it's perfection or nothing. You can make a great effort to come into school every day for 6 months, but one bad/ill day and you've had it.

Ozanj · 07/09/2021 18:36

Your dd’s bowel condition counts as a disability. I would be complaining about discrimination in your position

Mumoblue · 07/09/2021 18:36

That’s horrible, especially in COVID times!

I went to school with a girl who had 100% attendance. It was rigidly enforced by her mother, and made her miserable. She came in several times when she was clearly too ill to be there.

It does seem like policies like that just punish kids who can’t get in every day even if they want to.

CookPassBabtridge · 07/09/2021 18:37

I just don't get it AT ALL. Getting ill is unlucky, not a choice! Rewarding kids for not being ill!?

chipsandgin · 07/09/2021 18:37

I’d absolutely go through whatever process necessary to report them for discrimination (presuming kids with disabilities requiring medical appointments will not be eligible to get the badge, as well as kids with other health issues including mental health, or family issues).

It’s pure luck if you happen to be healthy enough to be at school 100% of the time, IMO those kids have already won the prize as don’t have to battle through life with pain or the disadvantages long term health conditions bring.

The scheme all sounds a bit Naziesque to me (“the chosen ones shall wear the badge of superior genetics, the rest of you can wait behind them whilst they get their food before you do and you can gaze in awe at their perfect bodies that don’t submit to illness..”)…fuuuuuck off!!

ManifestDestinee · 07/09/2021 18:37

@TheOneWithTwoParties

Attendance awards are discriminatory and bullshit.
This. I'd complain, and fucking loudly. Disabilism being taught to kids, its disgusting.
ItWorriesMeThisKindofThing · 07/09/2021 18:38

I am always supportive of my kids’ school and don’t do term time holidays Etc but if they announced this and wouldn’t listen to reason I would be talking to other parents about undermining it by all taking our children out for a sickie in the first half term - it’s ridiculous and OTT

WhoWants2Know · 07/09/2021 18:39

If my kids got the award, my inclination would be to return it to the school with an explanation of why I think it's a pile of shit.

Clymene · 07/09/2021 18:39

There are so many good reasons people miss school - or work - which don't fall into those categories.

If you have an accident/appendicitis and end up having to go to hospital - no badge for you! If you have mental health issues. Sorry! If (as a previous poster said), you're a refugee and get moved on. Or if you're in a family fleeing DV. Or any of the million other reasons you may be off school for a perfectly legitimate reason which doesn't fall into the lifelong illness, family death or religious holiday categories.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 07/09/2021 18:40

@TheOneWithTwoParties

Attendance awards are discriminatory and bullshit.
Damn right they are!
listsandbudgets · 07/09/2021 18:42

So they're setting up a club for children with no health problems .. but take care children because if you're sick you'll have your badge confiscated, be unceremoniously thrown out of the club and be shoved to the back of the lunch queue.

Who comes up with this rubbish?

KhoshkaKatya · 07/09/2021 18:43

It’s disgusting ableist nonsense. It’s also encouraging children to think that they can be twats to their peers if they impress authority “lunch queue jumps”.

Flowers500 · 07/09/2021 18:44

These f-ing morons shouldn’t be allowed near kids. There are probably immunocompromised kids in that school who could literally be killed by this idiocy.

100% attendance awards: subcategories include:
—well done on your grandma not dying Lucy, shame Jane isn’t as resilient
—mummy’s little COVID spreader
—Typhoid Mary, make sure you sneeze on Jack!
—bunk off chemo, class is more important!
—well done on your family not going through care proceedings, let’s make the children at risk queue for longer
—congratulations snaggletooth, what’s the shape of your jaw and comfort in comparison to a day in school?
—congrats on not getting your periods yet, unlike Alice who needs medical support

LittleOwl153 · 07/09/2021 18:46

Definately respond asking about the disability adjustments and their committment to the Equalities Act!

Given that any COVID related absense is also going to count against schools this year in their absence figures - there is going to be a whole lot of batshit happening around attended this year I expect!!

Sirzy · 07/09/2021 18:47

I would love to see every child who was invited into this club openly refuse to take part and ensure their badges are handed back.

The only good think with something as visible as this is the student body themselves could do a lot of good in fighting against it

KeyboardWorriers · 07/09/2021 18:48

Yanbu. It's discrimination against those with disabilities and chronic/acute illness and it is really infuriating that schools still don't see this

LittleOwl153 · 07/09/2021 18:49

I actually had a conversation with our principal last night at governors about attendance figures, as by the end of next week my daughter will score 50% in absent marks - something she will then have to fight and no doubt we will get stupid letters about for most of the rest of the year - why? Because she tested positive for Covid over the weekend. Is she still participating in school - yes remotely - does it count - NOPE!

BoredZelda · 07/09/2021 18:49

School: Parents!! Keep your kids off school if they are sick, especially if it is Covid.

Also school: Parents!! We will treat kids with 100% attendance as if they are something fucking special.

Our school at least ignored any disability related absence when tallying these things, but seeing one girl turn up the day after she was taken to hospital from school with a broken wrist, just so she could get her 100% attendance award was ridiculous. Not to mention the times kids turn up despite being ill with something they then share with the rest of the class.

KeyboardWorriers · 07/09/2021 18:49

I also agree it is particularly ill judged for schools to persist with this silliness during a pandemic.

KeyboardWorriers · 07/09/2021 18:50

@Flowers500

These f-ing morons shouldn’t be allowed near kids. There are probably immunocompromised kids in that school who could literally be killed by this idiocy.

100% attendance awards: subcategories include:
—well done on your grandma not dying Lucy, shame Jane isn’t as resilient
—mummy’s little COVID spreader
—Typhoid Mary, make sure you sneeze on Jack!
—bunk off chemo, class is more important!
—well done on your family not going through care proceedings, let’s make the children at risk queue for longer
—congratulations snaggletooth, what’s the shape of your jaw and comfort in comparison to a day in school?
—congrats on not getting your periods yet, unlike Alice who needs medical support

Exactly!!!
Jemand · 07/09/2021 18:51

@cricketmum84

It's a secondary school. I have sent an email back in haste and father angry but will be following it up with a phone call when they open tomorrow. I'm just so angry!
Their reply should be interesting.
missymayhemsmum · 07/09/2021 18:52

This is disability discrimination. Ask to see the Equalities Impact Assessment for this scheme and report it to the EHRC.

cookingisoverrated · 07/09/2021 18:55

Covid has clearly taught some schools absolutely nothing.

I'd go to the papers, frankly. Schools have got to stop doing this shit!