washingtonpost.com, 5/22/08, Academic Year May End Early In Fairfax

[pemom]

The Fairfax County School Board is expected to vote tonight to shorten the academic calendar by two days, giving teachers extra time to wrap up the school year and forcing parents to scramble for child care.

The last day at most county schools would shift to June 13 from June 17. But what spells more summer for students and relief for teachers is turning into a headache for parents, who have less than a month to arrange care for their children.

It's unusual for the region's largest school system to eliminate days from the school year. Virginia requires 180 days of instruction, and the 165,700-student school system typically schedules three extra days for weather-related closings. Schools used only one weather day this year, and officials are recommending that the other two be professional days for teachers.

more..............
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/21/AR2008052101622.html?nav=rss_education

[Natasha]

WE should do that to save some money.
All testing is over. Common assessments are over. Grades had to be entered this week. And yet we motor kids to school in those gas eating yellow vehicles for what, exactly?

[pemom]

My sarcastic response would be ................ baby sitting.

[Karmamama]

....and I would have to agree pemom.

[catherine]

Just call us high priced free day care!

The gov't wants to give peeps free day care, someone send them a memo that PCS already provide's free day care to their parents. lol @s@

[Michelle32]

If the school closed now instead of June 3rd it would be a problem for me to get child care. With that being said, I do not use school for day care. At this point if my child is not being taught there is an issue. Just because the grade doesn't "count" doesn't mean the children cannot learn.

Fortuantely my child is still learning. He has brought home review math assignments and had a final test, just like high school students. He earned an 89 on math - Go Son! He had to write a paragraph on what makes a good friend. He used his committment to character word list for description. Go Son!

I realize you are using sarcasim, but sometimes it is just too much.

[Samantha]

The "idea" of free babysitting is not a concept among teachers. It is the attitude of some parents at some schools. You'd be amazed under what conditions parents will drop off their children at school or have them walk by themselves and leave them. Just one example......How about a lock down due to a drive by shooting 1 block away, gunman on the loose. See ya kids have a nice day. I'm outta here. Tell me what decent parent not interested in free babysitting does that?

[Michelle32]

I get it Samantha. There are just as many, if not more, of us that appreciate the education our children get and don't consider school a daycare service for free. Not to mention I don't think school is free. Not with the amount of supplies and other stuff I send in.

[Samantha]

I think people post things from their perspective and school. We have to be careful not to generalize.

I feel that there are more parents interested in the education of their children than there are interested in free babysitting. The situation I posted was just an example of why some teachers say that some parents only use schools as free babysitting. It does exist.

I'm glad to here of stories of involved parents like you. It gives teachers hope.

[THE MOUSE]

I seem to remember a certain superintendent saying that we were here to provide daycare for the parents.

[undecided]

"Babysitting" is one of the reasons public schools exist. Back in the day, attendance was not mandatory. Compulsory education exists for many reasons. The most altruistic is, of course, to provide educational opportunities for all children because they deserve it.

But, compulsory education is said to decrease juvenile deliquency (yes, they want teachers to "deal" with deliquents), increase the number of entry level jobs available to adults, reduce child labor, assimilate immigrants and even to employ civil servants. In times of economic recession, the ratio of male to female teachers with increase.

This, I know is not taught in teacher training school. No reason to convey the big picture, political climate or purpose for schooling to mere teachers, I guess.