SOURCE: Parents Sent Kids To School While They Enjoyed Spa Days, Tennis, Then Wanted Kids Back Home
BY: ANDREW COLTON | Editor and Publisher
UPDATE 9PM Tuesday October 6, 2020: The Palm Beach County School District sent an official email this evening telling parents that they must choose distance or in-person learning. The reason given: “Currently, numerous students are alternating back and forth daily between in-person and Distance Learning.” Here’s the back story.
BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) — A high level Palm Beach County School District source tells BocaNewsNow.com that parents were routinely abusing the ability to switch from in-person to “distance” learning, often giving no notice so mom or dad could enjoy a day at the spa or on the tennis courts without committing to a long-term change in their child’s schooling.
The Palm Beach County School District initially told parents that they could switch from “distance” to “in-person” learning with a week’s notice. That week was intended to give principals time to make sure classrooms were socially distanced and space existed for the incoming student. But many parents were apparently just sending their kids to school on various days with no warning — then keeping them home. Kids told teachers that their parents were using the day to things like go to a “club” or play tennis.
“It’s a case where more than a few abused it and we had to change the system,” said the source. “We had parents who were blatantly doing the wrong thing, then did it again and again. This isn’t flex baby-sitting. This is school.”
Parents must choose “distance learning” or “in person learning” by October 15th. The choice remains in effect through the end of the semester which is mid-January. Parents will then again make another choice which will remain in effect until the end of the school year.
WAIVERS WILL BE AVAILABLE
But the Palm Beach County School District says waivers will be available to parents who are prepared to sign documents explaining why they’re making a switch after the deadline.
“A spa day isn’t a reason,” said a source. “We don’t want to make life unnecessarily difficult for parents, but we also can’t have them switching back and forth because they need a day off. You’re in or you’re out.”
Parents are also being instructed to choose the venue they intend to use for standardized testing: in school or at home. That choice is also binding, although it remains unclear whether there will be any standardized testing at all. There has been no information regarding the FSA for this academic school year.
