Would you expect a school to authorise an absence to attend a parent's graduation?

[CottageBearskin]

Just that really.

Child is 13, so non GCSE year
Parent is getting their doctorate

It’d be very interesting to see how the yes/no votes were split according to voters’ highest level of education 😉

I said that graduations are long and boring and I wouldn't take a child. I have a masters and a doctorate. I was bored at my PhD graduation and I didn't attend the masters graduation.

I have two degrees. I didn’t go to my second ceremony choosing to go out for a nice family meal instead, I wouldn’t take a child to one unless they really wanted to go and they understood exactly what it entailed.

I had presumed that the educated off site code would be applicable, although don't work in education so wasn't sure. I've never commented to the school though - as far as I'm concerned I've done my duty giving them the information about the planned absence, and then it happens, permission or no .

Yeah I personally wouldn’t be bothered about my kids seeing my graduate. But I’d definitely take them out for other necessary things. The rules i’m reading about funerals are ridiculous and outdated. How close a family member is doesn’t correlate with how much they mean to you in real life.

Schools teach a lot of useless crap anyway (or at least they did in my day) so don’t hesitate to take them out for a day here and there for something else that may widen their experiences.

At 13yo, they are old enough to understand the ceremony being for dozens of people may be long and a bit dull, so can make their mind up whether they would want you to ask school for the day off.

I don't know if I'd expect them to authorise it - personally I think they should, but I'd guess it would vary from school to school.

If they don't authorise it, I'd take the child out anyway and tell the school they were unwell. I don't think one day to witness that kind of achievement being rewarded is unreasonable, and I would imagine that for a parent to complete a doctorate, the whole family would have been involved in supporting them and missing out on things occasionally when family time had to be sacrificed, so it seems fair for the child to be part of the celebration.

I would.

Even if it was some sub-standard ex polytechnic.

Attending a graduation and sitting, waiting, clapping and being a bit bored etc is one thing.

Attending a graduation, listening to what all the PhDs have done their work on, listening to the names, the different departments, listening to the speeches, meeting other students (ex students!), looking at the gowns, talking about academic stress, the work involved, what now eg job, there is honestly so much more to a graduation than clapping a bunch of people you don’t know and getting cramp in your legs.

Yes because it is hopefully aspirational for the child as well as being important for the family however I don’t know the rules so if they are not allowed they are not allowed but may choose to not authorise but not follow up or fine? Although I don’t think you get fined for a single day. I would do it regardless though

no! I would just take them out for the day. nothing happens with 1 days unauthorised. Non issue.

Probably the wrong message and all that, and people will no doubt let me know what an awful person I am, but I don't think I'd ask, and just let child have a sickie. Its only one day and 13 should be old enough not to let the cat out of the bag.

My Yr 11 child’s school did. They marked it as an educational visit/trip.

Attending a parent, sibling or spouse's graduation is one of the very, very few things teachers get time off for (pretty much that, a very very close family wedding or a funeral), so you should be OK requesting the same thing for a pupil.

I think this has come up before on MN. I would take the child whatever the school thought. Presumably it's only one day, two at most, so no risk of fines.

I'd be taking a child regardless, although childcare (or its non-existance) would require it anyway.
Parental education is a strong marker of a child's educational potential. Celebrating the parent's academic achievements is part of a positive culture towards education and outweighs the impact of one day out of school.
It's not a reason that will roll round frequently either.

Ours did for my MA graduation. They were years 1 and 4 at the time.