Trouble with Teacher for Missing Class

I had the same situation. My 8th period was chemistry and our teacher would not let us make up labs if we missed. So I had gym 2nd period and was able to get out of that because the baseball coach was in the P.E. department. So I just went to class 2nd and everything was fine.
Now for your son, things are probably not the same. He can ask the teacher if there is anyway he can come into class his lunch period or a free period he may have. Other than that, it's a hard situation. Try to have your son be polite and remember to work with the teacher and not against him/her. Good Luck.

It didn't go well. My son explained the situation to the teacher. When that didn't work the coach talked with her. My son got A's on everything and got a B for a grade due to the D she gave him for class participation (missed two a week). It turns out she didn't like sports and didn't like athletes getting preferential treatment.

If he is not breaking any school rules and leaving early for games is a normal practice for all sports it is time for you as the parent to have a meeting with the Principal. She is being vindictive and down right mean using her bias against sports to punish your son. This is wrong and needs to be addressed to her boss.

I would set up a teacher's conference as the first step to give her the opportunity to clear up any "misunderstanding" she may be having dealing with authorized school activities. Is there a student handbook that may address this issue?

After the teacher's conference fails to reach a resolution, then set up a conference with the principal.

If I were faced with this, me and the teacher are having a sitdown and the teacher is going to come up with a favorable solution. This is one of these times where a parent has to step in.

Son made the varsity team as a freshman; we had talked to the school counselor and asked her not to schedule a core class last block but she did anyway. We tried to change his schedule but the counselor would not. Son ended up with a B in the class because he missed 2 classes a week. He is now a senior and that English class his is only B in high school. Very disappointing that the counselor would not work with us. The teacher was great, son would go in for lunch and go in before school to try to catch up on what he had missed. Too late now for your son this year but for the future talk to who ever schedules classes and try to get them to schedule an elective or PE the last class of the day. For a teacher to do this to a kid is horrible. Son has had teachers who hate athletes, but he has always overcome. Years ago some athletes did get special treatment (not anymore at least not at our school) and for that reason some teachers are harder on athletes than anyone else.

I am of two minds on this one - my first thought is players are missing class time, so something is going to suffer. Then my second thought is, but what are the kids supposed to do about it? Not get on the bus? Who schedules the games - it's not the student/athlete. So you've put a kid in a bad spot between two adults who want him to do two incompatible things - either way he faces negative consequences. Not a fair spot for a student, and I agree, that's when a parent has to step in and find out what's going on.

My questions would be -
1. Do all teachers follow the same policy?
2. What is school policy?
3. If my student is not breaking any rules, then why is he being penalized?
4. Is the same consequence applied when students miss class for other reasons - field trips, excused absences, etc?
5. What alternative arrangements WILL be made to prevent my student from being penalized for participating in a school sponsored activity?

We, by the way, play several schools that, regardless of when the scheduled start time is, they show up when they can get there by leaving at the end of the last class. So if they're 45 minutes late, we wait. Year after year, we all know certain teams will be late. They never change the schedule - they just show up when they can, because their policy is to not allow athletes to leave early.

Thanks for all of the advice. We have advised our our son to request a meeting with the teacher. Communicate that he understands and appreciates her concerns and her POV about his missing clasroom time. Howeever he should commuincate his situation and our families POV that particpation in a high school sport, is also an education and growth opportunity. We advised him to see if there is some extra work that he could do to make up for the lost time.

Hopefully that will work but based on what our son has seen with other situations with other students he does not have a good feeling it will work. We told him maybe the other students did not try to meet with the teacher and he should at least try.

If that does not work, I will go to the AD. I have know the AD for years and he has kids that are athletes. Like to see what he recommends.

We did try to watch his schedule very closley....the guidance counselor was great. Howeveer since the is an honors class this was the only time and the only teacher.

Hopefully his meeting with the teacher handles the situation. If not I guess we will have tot step is and help as parents.

Trying to look at this as a good life lesson for him. While grades are very important and he is comnpeteting for a very high class rank at the end of the day...one grade, in one class, at high school never derailed a person's life. But it is frustrating that the school offers extra ciruclar activities ( sports, music etc ) that sometimes casues students to miss class time and there are teachers that do not support these activities.


Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Kbat.....We are having our son go the teacher first and do excatly what you said..he previous partitpation scores have been great before baseball season...so i know he is doing all the right things when he is in class.

I said I will only go to the AD if my son strikes out with his teacher..plus I also said that that I have know the AD for many years (served on several boards with him)and I would not be asking him to intervene but to get advice on what steps to take next....


He has several children that have played high school sports and he might be able to give me some good advice ( again if the first step...my son talking to the teacher, does not work)

I think this should be a school policy not one that varies from teacher to teacher.

If the school doesn't want players missing class, they should not schedule games that early. If they don't mind, then the teachers should be instructed to work within the school policy.

I'm not debating the rights/wrongs of missing class for baseball, I just think there should be one uniform policy for the entire school.

quote:

I think this should be a school policy not one that varies from teacher to teacher.

It would be nice. But if a teacher doesn't like athletes they will find a way to get them. My son's situation happened with basketball freshman year. Just before baseball tryouts she nailed him for accidently knocking over a plant with his backpack. She gave him detention for the first two days of baseball tryouts. My son not knowing what to do (and not asking) skipped detention to get to tryouts. He was eventually suspended from school for two days (including the baseball team) and given an all day Saturday detention.

Son had an "uncooperative" teacher last year. He was having sinus/allergy issues and had a nose bleed. He got in trouble for disrupting the class. This year is different. His teacher wishes him good luck when he leaves.

quote:

Originally posted by RJM:
...and given an all day Saturday detention.

Was this guy the Saturday detention supervisor?

This stuff happens all the time; college and high school (and jr. high)... it is one reason why coaching/playing summer ball seems relaxing...

Right now at my school one science teacher is being brutal to athletes... when her kids get a little older she'll change her tune, I've seen it happen many times.

7-2,

Unpopular opinions are welcomed. Yes it is a honor class but not sure why that would be any different if it was a regular class?

Just to clarify...he is not missing two clasess a week...on average it is one a week since we usually have one away game and one home game. The home game the players leave after school is over.

Plus even with away games ( with a few exceptions for shools that are a little further away)he only missed part of the class.

However, I certainly see your point. In fact I battle back and forth with that point. However if the school supports and has programs for sports I think the school should support the program. (remember I said he is willing to do extra work to make up for the lost time)

Ironically this same teacher schedules all day field trip for this class, which requires the students in his class to miss other teachers classes? Should those student be punished for non particpation in those classes?


I do appreciate hearing the other POV...it does make me challenge our thinking.

quote:

Unpopular opinions are welcomed. Yes it is a honor class but not sure why that would be any different if it was a regular class?

I'm with you, dad43. 2B takes 4 honors classes, and often has to miss his last class to get to away games. Shouldn't matter whether they're honors classes or not. The work gets made up, outside assignments are completed, and he is good to go. We are very lucky, though. They have periods 1,2,3 on one day, and 4,5,6 on the next,(2-hour classes) so it's not always the same class that he misses. The school has a culture of supporting outside activities, whether it's athletics, performing arts, literary, or whatever. Plus the HS principal played 2B at Auburn, so that doesn't hurt.

How big is the school? Do teachers at big schools in general think they can be more hard core about "participation" than small ones? Just curious.

2BM...Quad "A" school.....not sure about the large versus small question. I an going to meet with the AD...just to get some advice on how to handle and possible next steps...

My son is in honors all of his or classes this year and last year...never had this issue with any other teacher...so hopefully just an isolate case and we will not have to face this again for the reminder of his high school career.

He is worred about it...but we told him we will just have to figure it out....if this is this worst thing we have to deal with over the nest few years....we will be very grateful.

What is great about his board is that you get to learn:

1. Are we the only ones facing this
2. If not, How did other people deal with it
3. You do get people with different POV's that make you challenge your POV.... which helps you either change your POV or feel better about your POV.

As a teacher and coach, I'm glad that in texas we still have our athletic period. The last period of the day is athletics. You should fight to get that back. We have our baseball players for an hr before the school day even ends. Athletics should be looked at as co-curricular and no extra curricular

texasbaseballcoach

My guys had the same thing in HS---they scheduled them for GYM and all they had to do was be in school and see the teacher--- why take gym at 9 in the morning if you can do it as the final class of the day?

They did it right and this was 14 years ago

I'm riding the fence here because I see both sides. My big question is if the student told the teacher at the beginning of the semester that he would be missing class because of baseball and if that would affect his grade. If she said it would, and there would be no exceptions, then the player will have to make a choice, take that honors class or play baseball.

I know how wrong that last statement sounds but here is my reasoning.

1. If the grade is weighted that heavily on participation there must be a reason that attendance necessary. You can miss a math class and catch up in a book, however classes that rely on discussion and verbal interaction should not be discounted.

2 I think it should be remembered that this is the last class of the day, minds wonder, clocks are always looked at, and students/teachers are easily distracted which takes me to #3.

3. Not only does leaving a class potentially hurt the player in question, it also may disrupt the class as a whole. I facilitate a 1.5 hour focus group twice a week. One of the members started leaving 45 min early once a week, when he left the group was not complete, everyone seemed disrupted, and the "flow" was gone. I asked the guy why he left and he said that his boss had scheduled a weekly mtg with him during that time slot. I told him that either reschedule that meeting with his boss, or, find a replacement from his group to attend my weekly mtgs. I got a call the next day from his boss and after explaining that by his guy ducking out early the meeting lost it's momentum for that day and we spent the beginning of each new mtg getting him up to speed. The boss apologized explaining that his guy never said he was leaving my meeting early to meet with him. He went on to say that one of his pet peeves is someone his meetings early.

IMHO, when all is said and done this is an issue where a school policy needs to be developed for all athletes and not have a sliding scale per teacher.

Also, an important life lesson is anticipating potential issues. While I don't know the particulars in this situation I wonder if on the first day of class the player approached the teacher and brought up the potential scenario that this problem could have been avoided or a solution worked out

Better yet a meeting before the start of school with AD, Counselor and Teacher and possibly the Prinicpal could have averted this scenario

I grew up in texas and now work in the public school system so this is an issue close to home because if its taken away from schools then it takes the professionalism of my job away a bit. Now you have to teach to coach but if we make it extra cirr. then anyone can do it...we offer p.e. classes also but we have an athletic period for off-season which turns into season when the spring gets here. We get to work with our guys all yr(except in the summer and they are trying to get that back too) I think its a reason why we have some success in tx with producing pretty good ball players

If a school system is supporting and offering athletics or any other extra curricular activity after school, the teachers and administrators have to be on the same page and if part of the after-school activity requires missing some class here and there, it's gotta be considered an excused absence without penalty or have a negative result to the students grades and the student gets an opportunity to hand in the required work they may have missed. It should make no difference whether it's an AP course or a regular course. You also can't have rogue teachers who feel they need to make up their own rules because they got some disdain toward students who participate in after school activities, clubs or sports.

If a student can't keep up with his grades, that's one thing but if the student is an making the grade, he/she should have no issues with staying eligible to participate and rogue teachers have no business lowering participation grades because they're mad that the student has to leave early for some county or state tournament and it doesn't just have to involve sports. There are academic clubs who's students miss class to attend county, state, regional or national competitions as well.

i agree, thats school authorized absent...teacher has to respect that and cant pen. for missing...what state we talking about here?

I agree. its a legitimate absense if its a school sponsored sport. Also what really gets me and if your a teacher I probably will get blasted. But there are 15 million opportunities for the learning disabled(as their shoud be) there are options for kids that have a hard time, hard life etc. you get my point. So here you have a kid taking honors classes, playing a sport, staying out of trouble and the teacher is giving him problems. I have an issue with that.
When my son was a junior, he was in Chemistry. He did an assignment on the wrong type of paper, the teacher failed him on the assignment. My son asked if he could make it up some how even for half credit. NO said the teacher.Similar things happened with this teacher.I later found out that kids that are failing the class(FAILING) are allowed to come in after school , or lunch and make up points so they wouldnt fail. My son asked to come in, NO he wasnt failing.So he was not allowed to make up points , but kids who were Failing could.
That irritates me. I have no problem with ALL the programs in place for struggling kids, families etc, but it does irritate me when good kids , good students dont get the opportunities to make up points.
Our society as a whole leans this way. Watch the news, negative stories all the time about kids and all the horrible stuff they do. I would love to see more stories on the kids who succeed and do well.Run a story on the kid whos up at 530 am hitting the weight room, going to school, good grades, no discipline problems, great attitude, skilled in a sport, communtiy activities. But SORRY you cant make up your points, but the kid whos cutting class, failing, drinking, smoking by all ,means lets make it AVAILABLE to you, because we dont want you to fail.
Trust me Ive been rotating in public health all semester and there are some really sad families out there, and my heart goes out to the children,it really does,but in the same breath the good kids shouldnt be penalized.

You will not be able to turn a teacher on his/hers opinions.

You will not be able to speak with the AD and recieve anything different from a teacher than what he/she is already doling out.

Your son will get grief by the teacher by addressing your concerns with the AD.

The dilemma

We knew my son would have early release for games. The class schedule was as follows, periods 1,3 & 5 on one day 2,4,& 6 on alternate days, with the 6th period being P.E. An early release would compromise either the 5th period or the 6th period P.E class on a given day. Murphy's law being what it is and as most of the the players on the team are experiencing have algerbra or chemistry classes slated for 5th period which cannot be changed. Naturally, some teachers have little or no sympathy for the kids participating in a sport and are not allowed to make up tests, assignments, class time, etc. Some players have missed the majority of of 8 class sessions due to early release and were only half way through the season.

The solution

At the beginning of the school year, If your school district allows it, take your chem or algerbra class off campus during the 5th period. The accredited program will be vary flexible. My son had to miss one class and made it up on a Sat.The other option is to take the off campus class during the summer and have a free /study hall 5th period. It's not inexpensive but it certainly better than bombing a vital class and I'm not talking an "F" In todays world a "C" is considered by many as bombing.

For my son this has worked out great. So much so, he really see's the value in having time on his hands during the school year. He'll take a class at the local J.C this summer as well as another class each semester during his senior year and finish off with a class in summer school his senior year. He'll enter college with 12 transferable units and take the minimum of 12 units per semester during his freshman year. To better focus on the his freshman year and the demands of baseball in college.

fanofgame

If you do get blasted for your post, add me to the blasting list because I agree with you 100 percent.

What zombywoof said!!!!!!

F.O.G. and others...



If your kid doesn't NEED academic welfare...

What's wrong with the teacher or coach that holds the better students or athletes to a higher standard?

I still say the student (of dad43) should approach the teacher about upgrading the "D" and accept whatever the compromise.

Don't think this changes in college.
There are many professors that could care less that you participate in athletics. Hopefully your academic advisor will make you aware who are friendlies and who are not. (Best to give the unfriendlies lots of extra face time, emails,and try to be extra charming

I believe. I would have higher standards
across the board. For both the knuckleheads and the kids who are comitted to an activity that is sanctioned by the school.

I am not talking about higher standards. I am talking about a school sanctioned sport. college and HS. I believe most schools AD or Deans would back up a player for missing.
I think its ridiculous. But this whole country strives to help the needy( many who do not do anything to help themselves). Welfare for families that have 12 kids, no job, no anything. Lets give them free homes, food, medical and we will keep paying for it.
Look at the economy, we the middle class pay for all of that.
I am not saying not to have standards. this young man in the original post obviosly has standards and is being punished for being part of a schol activity. a good activity.
but we can have after school class and saturday school for delinquents , and on and on. the whole thing irritates me, and nothing anyone says on this post will make me feel any differently.

quote:

Don't think this changes in college.
There are many professors that could care less that you participate in athletics.

This happened to a friend for a final. The professor wouldn't reschedule a final. My friend missed the last practice before leaving for Omaha. His coach followed through on his "miss the last practice, miss a game" and benched him for the first game of the CWS.

quote:

this whole country strives to help the needy

If you want to be heralded, screw up your life and make a comeback. You could even be paid to be on a talk show. But consistantly do the right things and no one notices.

quote:

But consistantly do the right things and no one notices.

Yeah, and I think thats just really sending the wrong message for the kids who bust their butts and do all the right things. I think the teachers send the wrong message to these kids.
It irritated me then ,it irritates me now. I am in school right now and some of the teachers are so condescending to the students.
I sent one of my professors a question, almost all my stuff is on line. She sent me an email back and said " why dont you try reading the syllabus" hello I am 50 years old and I am not some idiot. I read the syllabus. I sent her an email back and said to her that its an online class and we have questions and it was her job as my professor to answer them . She sent me an apology, BUT I am 50 I have nothing to lose. Young kids are more afraid to confront or question an adult.
In this situation with original poster I would of got involved. Shes wrong, he should be able to make up points. She is employed by the students, she is not the king of the hill.Too much of a power trip with some of these people. Need to take the powewr out of her hands, shes not an administrator, shes a teacher that you and I pay for with our taxes.
Thats my Opinion. sorry if that offends any teachers.

Fan of game I am in my 11th year of teaching and I can honestly say that you are so correct on so many things that you will not offend me in any way. I go to work everyday and work my rearend off to teach and see administration mess it up. We got a lot of problems in education and it's created by the politicians. They pass laws that govern education because I believe they are trying to keep the population ignorant. History shows the best way to control a country's population is to take away their education. Well since it's impossible to take our education away they make as ineffective as possible.

Last year, my son's Jr. year, he had a 3.8 his first semester. Spring rolls around, baseball season, when he has Chemistry last period.
He had taken action earlier in the year to change the order of his classes - asking to move Chemistry to earlier in the day.
NO WAY cannot move you! Tries to make provisions at the beginning of second semester about spring baseball, since Wednesdays are kind of a study hall day, you can sign up to attend a class that you need help in or might have missed. He went at 7AM (two weeks in a row- every day) to try to sign up for the Wed. periods, to no avail - all filled. Teacher made no exceptions, sorry you are ******. In front of the entire class a cheerleader, begged the teacher to give her a passing grade or she could not compete in an upcoming event - he passed her. Since my son was in good standing with every other teacher, he was not afforded the same grace (I guess you have to be a habitual flunkee or really cute to get things overturned - but eveyone in that class witnessed it) I think all anyone is asking is that the teacher/professor/administrator be fair in the decisions being made.
But,as we have learned elsewhere, life is not fair. He took elected to take chemistry in the summer to improve his grade, which he did, received an A and actaully comprehended the class and loved it.

It really irritates me when I hear that a student that attends every class, takes every quiz and test, fails the class the same as a student that never shows or refuses to do the assigned work. How is that right? Part of this has to go back to the teacher, if a student attends every day, turns in the assignments, and still fails....
How does a teacher justify this situation?

iheartbb,
as a teacher, we are told that its our job to motivate the student to pass. We are not here to fail kids, we are here to educate them. Matter of fact, i wont fail a student without contacting parents, giving make up days, tutoring, and if all that fail...I try something new to motivate them to pass...

Texasbaseballcoach,
I wish my son could have had you as a teacher and motivator. I am sure there would have been a different outcome. Unfortunately some teachers miss the point, and somehow forget what they are there for.