Parents Being Charged for Tardy Kids

I read about this... the kids are consistently late 2-3 days a week. That is just deplorable, and it is teaching the kids very little about punctuality, prioritizing, time management and respect for others. The mom leaves 8 minutes drive time for a school that is 10 mins away. She is late getting them out the door, b/c she is going over their homework with them or doing their hair fancy in the mornings. It's not the kids who are dallying around in the hallways.

Interesting.... the M. is a SAHM.......... she is the one at fault for not getting the kids there on time!

Over the last 2 years, the kids have been late 150 times...... I don't care if it is just a minute or two, that just shows a lot of disrespect by the mother for what the school is trying to do.

I don't care that she has 3 kids under 10.......... I have 4 kids, and the first 3 were born within 4 years.... so when we moved to Texas, I had one in Kindergarten, one in 3rd grade, and 1 in 4th grade...... I also had a baby under a year old! I had 4 kids under 9......... I had to get them up and ready, also.

If they let one parent off for that many tardies, why should they expect ANYONE to show up on time? Rules are established for a reason.

I feel bad for those kids. It's hard to start the school day late, even just 2 minutes late. They miss that valuable transition time of chatting with friends, taking time to put away their things, get organized and in the right mindset for school. They miss the whole set-up for the day- announcements, instructions. It really makes for a rough start to do that day after day.
Those parents need a wake-up call.

Dad's an attorney. Mother is a stay at home mom. They live a few blocks from the school and the kids have been late 150 times over the last two years.
Dad makes it sound like it's no big deal because it's not like they're tardy without their parents knowledge. Really? The 3 kids are all under 10 years old. Why can't they be at school on time?

As a single, working mom with 2 kids 10 years apart, my kids were tardy MAYBE 2 times in an entire year. They often got awards for perfect attendance.

In this case, the tardies are so excessive that the parents are being criminally charged for it and the $3,000 is the amount of possible fines.
I'm sorry, but maybe this will give the parents a clue that the kids need to be at school on time. Parents all over this country manage it.
"It's only a couple minutes here and a couple of minutes there".
What the hell kind of argument is that? 150 TIMES????

School isn't drop-in daycare. There is a bell for a reason.
Sometimes life really sucks, but hopefully we raise children who can grow up to be at school on time, at work on time, get bills paid on time, finish projects on time. Get their KIDS to school on time.

This is just my opinion.
The family obviously has issues of some kind.
Either that, or it hasn't seemed important to them until now.

Oops. I think everyone missed an important point. The parents have been charged with a misdemeanor and will be going to court. If found guilty they may be fined and made to pay court expenses up to $3000. They haven't gone to court yet.

The article goes on to say they were tardy 150 times the previous year. I suggest that this is happening in an effort to get the parents' attention. The school district has likely tried numerous other ways to get the parents to correct this problem.

The father tries to play on public sympathy by saying he could lose his license to practice law. Seems reasonable then to get his kids to school so that he isn't charged.

BTW I wonder how successful he is as a lawyer. Judges do not tolerate parties being late to court.

I say, go for it, if that's what it takes. It is not fair to their children or the other students for this to be an ongoing problem.

I haven't read the article, but having a complicated situation with getting my son to school on time, I would probably be more sympathetic than most.

For most of this year, we had my son ride the bus. They let him take the bus even though we live really close because he's in special ed. It worked great because he had to be ready on time or they would leave without him. He was almost never late, except a couple times I didn't hear the bus coming, and they drove away without honking. But we worried that he wasn't eating enough breakfast and was losing weight.

Then we switched to driving him to school, giving him 10 more minutes of sleep and 25 more minutes to eat. After a couple of weeks, I found out that he had been late almost every single day! The teachers hadn't told me, and my son isn't able to tell if he is late. Although we'd been dropping him off at the door with all the other kids, he would stop on the way and pick up crayons in the grass, or go to the resource teacher instead of homeroom, or walk too slow. So now my husband parks at the front door(which is probably against the rules) and walks him all the way to the classroom, and then calls and tells me what time they got there.

I don't know which counts as being more responsible- being lazy and sending him on the bus on time, or working 3 times harder and having him get there late.

I think that's overkill. One commenter on USAToday said 2 children were late 29 times and 1 child 27 times, so not 85 times each. If that's true, it takes away some of the shock factor. I don't know why they are late that often, but a parent losing their ability to practice law because their children missed less than 3 hours of school is absurd. The dad's a lawyer, so I'm sure he will be able to argue his way out of this one.

I think this is justified. If his children were in my childs class and came in late 85 times since September I'd think of it this way. They are disrupting the class and STEALING time from my childs education. That would be about $100 a kid for the hours they've lost of class time for the disruption, sounds fair to me There sense of entitlement is outrageous and will not serve their child well when as one of the responses at the site to the story mentioned. What will happen when they have a job and are late than many times? IF there are valid extenuating circumstances as some of the posters here have I would hope the school would work with them on an individual basis, accomadating all involved.

85 days tardy this year equates to being tardy about 80% of the time by my quick guesstimate and they did it last year too. Now hopefully the stupid, lazy parents will get their young children to school on time. Works for me. I see it as tardy parents being charged for tardy parents.

I think $1000 a kid is high, but I understand the point they are trying to make. There is definitely more to the story than the parents are letting on. Its not like they lives miles from the school and hit traffic. If just laziness, or stubborness. If the mom truly cannot be organized enough to leave on time, then the Dad should be the one to do dropoff. Lawyers make their own hours, right?

Maybe if the truancy officer came to pick them up everyday, that would motivate them to get out of the house on time.

Frankly, I think that this is absolutely crazy. These parents are teaching their kids that it is OK to be late for their committments. Not a great example in my opinion. Since they live so close to the school and the Mom stays home, I don't understand why this is such an issue. If Mom has health issues or some other reason why mornings are so difficult, they should have hired a Mom's helper for this task. Granted this is extreme of the school, but does anyone really believe that this is their first notification? You would think that at some point that these parents would figure out that getting to school on time IS a priority.

The natural consequences of a child being tardy is that every 3 times they are tardy it counts as a half day absence. After that 2 half days missed equals a day out of school. Everyone knows that the school districts have a certain amount of days a child must be in school for them to be able to pass to the next grade.

So, the natural consequences of a child who is continually tardy is that they may not pass the school year and have to take that one over.

We are often caught repeating a Love and Logic comment. "Honey, you take as long as you need to wake up, we'll love you no matter how many times you have to take 2nd grade over, and I'll hold your hand and give you lots of hugs when you cry all day because all your friends got to go to 3rd or 4th grade....you just take all the time you need". She gets all annoyed and is ready within a few minutes.

I do not think other consequences are needed. If a child is not brought to school on time due to parental neglect then child welfare should be called and an investigation done. The parents should figure out the school district is serious about attendance.

Am I the only one that thinks maybe something is going wrong in this house. Is this mom not getting any help in the morning from her husband? Does she have some kind of illness or problem? I think the fine is a bit pointless if the goal is to get these kids on track and to end the disruption. Get to the source of the problem first. If they rule out an actual condition that is contributing to this, then fine away.

I think if the parents can't make sure their kids are at school on time, then they should be fined.

My kids are all to school on time every day. If they were ever late, then it's because of extenuating circumstances.

I think parents should get one tardy a semester for those extenuating circumstances...after the first tardy, then the parents should charged.

Honestly, there's no excuse for this family. The punishment is extreme, but so is the behavior. They were late 150 days in 1.5 years? That's more than half of the time. This just shows a flagrant disregard for others. Every late child is a disruption to the teacher and all of other other students in each class. I'm sure they were given ample warning. I hope they get nailed with the whole fine.

My kids are often just making the bell but are only actually tardy maybe 5 times a year and even that's excessive and inexcusable.

Well, the way I read it, it is an average of 27/28 days per child, out of about 7 months of school... so, 25 weeks of school (after subtracting for Xmas and Thanksgiving)? That is about 1 day per week.

That is too much. But, I have had my kids in schools that the clocks are different in every classroom and different from the front office. (No centralized bell system---it was private school). I never knew for SURE what time they got to school (the office clock would be different from day to day). One kid would be late, one would have spare time---and they went in at the same time. But, I didn't know one kid was late until the progress reports came out...no one said, "Hey, your daughter is late to school" and I was at the school a lot as a volunteer. And it was the same thing at the end of the day: they were supposed to get out at "x" time, but they never came out then... there was a delay... some days it was 2 minutes, some days it was 10 minutes... with no explanation. Maybe the kids took too long for their last trip to the bathroom as they were lined up to exit the building... ? Or maybe the class rooms weren't operating on the same time.
Drove me crazy really.

My husband operates on GMT at work, and his watch and car are set to the exact time based on his work. My watch says something different. It matches what I hear on the radio every day. My car too. The school (office) had a totally different time than either of us. And sometimes that would change (either earlier or later)... with no warning.

Now, I don't know what the situation is where the kids in the article were in school---in Washington and he's a lawyer, so I suppose it could be a private school? Did they notify the parents that the kids weren't making it on time? Does their contract with the school specify the penalty for tardiness? If the answers are yes to both, then as long as they are following the terms of the contract, fine away.

And yes, I get that it can be disruptive to the teacher and class... though I have never been in a single class (except in college) that the teacher was actually starting anything the moment the bell rang. But charging the parents with a misdemeanor, did I read that in the article? As what? Child neglect? I can think of a LOT worse ways of neglect. I'm betting those kids ate a healthy breakfast at home, had clean and weather appropriate clothes on, and had their homework done and with them.

I just don't think there was enough information in the article to be fair to both sides, particularly in light of how they try to make the tardies appear even worse than they are by making it sound like all the kids were late 85 times EACH, which is not the case.

ETA: Just wanted to add a note, after reading the other responses so far--
I find it interesting how many ladies have zero tolerance and no compassion whatsoever on any level about how rude this is to the rest of the class or the teacher and assert what horrible things this is teaching their children about respecting others. (even though, we are not talking about them coming in 15 or even 10 minutes late.... they said it was 2-3 minutes late most of those times--so no way their teachers are having to reteach any lessons, I can guarantee)--- in comparison to how many people (not just on the most recent thread, but others I've seen on this board in the past) think it is just fine and have no issue with not getting around to responding to an RSVP, because "it happens sometimes, people get busy" or "cut the mom some slack she knows she should have responded", etc. Very interesting.

I live a "few blocks" from our elementary school. My son has been tardy only once this year. I also either walk him over or drive him.

Is it always easy to get my 3 kids out the door on time? No, some days are more challenging than others. Do we do it anyway? Yes.

I say - get your kids to school on time. I am not seeing a reason they are late... there is no traffic if you walk to school.

I think it's great. 3 kids of school age under 10 and they can't get to school on time? Come on. I'm not sure what the other side of the argument is. It's less than 3 hours total? So what? It's the disruption to the rest of the class when these kids come in late plus it opens the door for everyone to be late.

I read the article and I see both sides. But....I have to say that there really is NO excuse for the children to be late that many days when they are only a few blocks away from the school. It really is disruptive to have students come in late and they do miss out on important information and routines. I think the parents are lazy for not taking their tardiness seriously and they do need some form of a wakeup call. Fining someone 3000 dollars seems a little excessive, but they should have some sort of consequence!

Good to see most parents agree on this - get your dang kids to school ON TIME!!!!! It's not that hard people.

I'm sure some sort of action should be taken in this case - whether it be a fine or otherwise. I agree whole heartedely that tardiness does indeed disturb the flow of the classroom. The mom is a stay-at-home mom, they live only blocks away, how do they manage to be late that many times. My daughter has to be up 2 hours before school starts to catch a bus and has never been late. A few days per year late is fine. You can account for that but 85 times. That is excessive and sets a bad precedent overall.

Home school them and they will always be on time!

I'm not sure what I think about the fine, but if I were one of these kid's teachers, I'm sure I'd be royally pissed that this kid came late all the time and interrupted my class! I've got to believe the school tried talking with these parents more than once before they took this tact.

I can understand both sides to this, but overall, get it together. How hard is it to get your kids to school on time. This mom is teaching her kids to be irresponsible and disrespectful of other peoples time. I think the fines are reasonable but I don't like the idea of the dad losing his license to practice law over the whole thing.
I am a little curious as to whether or not the parents received warnings ahead of time. My guess is that they did. But, ultimately, they were responsible for getting the kids there either way.

My kids actually hate school days because I wake them up and have them ready for school about 30 minutes before they are even due to catch the bus.This includes one taking a morning shower,dressing,making lunch for one, and throwing last minute items together. The only times they have been late is because of bus break downs. Those times aren't counted because it isn't something that could be avoided.
As a parent if I knew other parents were allowing their children to disrupt class by being tardy I would be pissed. It is more than just those three children being effected by he tardiness. So yes the parents should be held accountable for this. And no I don't think it is extreme in what they could be facing when they go to court. Think of it this way: The teacher is paid to teach the students..he/she lost time having to get the class back on task when the late students came in and disrupted everything. He/she has to get the tardy students up to speed with the rest of the class. While she is doing so the rest of the class has time to get off task and again time is wasted getting everyone settled and back on task. That adds up in a hurry of lost learning time for all the students. It also adds up to lost time for the teachers. By allowing those students to be tardy you are setting them up to fail.
Another spin to think of...these children will grow up thinking being tardy isn't a big deal. Now think how upset you would be if one of these kids was your lawyer,doctor,plumber,tv repair person, and so on...how pissed would you be having to deal with that person being late your appt? Even if it was a few minutes late,that sets the rest of your day off because he/she was late. These parents need to see that their lack of promptness has possible long term effects. Not just on their own kids but all those who are having to deal with them.

My first reaction was that it was heavy handed of the County to impose any kind of punishment for being late. BUT the more I thought about it, the more I think that something had to be done. Its not only their children's education that's being disrupted but also all the other kids in their class. That's just not fair.

I think it's great! Tardy children are disruptive to an entire class and the teaching process. Tardy children also require additional staff work such as security, attendance staff, etc... Tardy students also often are disruptive in the hallways. If the child was tardy a couple of times then that is a different story but 85 days! That is almost every day for an entire semester. I am not so sure about the amount as that does seem extremely high, that is about $35 a day. I would find that hard to believe. $5 a day would be more reasonable. Schools charge $10 to replace an ID or $5 to send a transcript to a college. Being on time to school teaches a life-long lesson. Would a president of a company want an employee being tardy 85 times in a 6 month time period? No, they would be fired. School is the job.

I do not understand how or why it is acceptable to be late or tardy to school under any circumstances. I am glad that parents are being held accountable for thier children's actions - it's about time. I did not dare be late for school to the point that I took the bus an hour earlier than the one I had to take just to make sure I would be there one time in the unlikely event of a break down or anything else. I spent that hour in the library working and studying. Even my Sr. year when I was 18 and could sign myself in and out of school and being late etc and cought a ride with a friend, we were both so uptight about being late we were still early to school. The parents had to know it was coming I know my mom got sent home cards (post card style) in the mail reporting my absences so she could confirm that is a correct number along with a phone call as a "back up" plan. This would include sick days, unexcused and tardies if there were any to be reported and this was common practice at all of the schools I attended (4, we moved a lot). Again, I am glad the parents are being held accountable for this there is NO excuse for these children to be late so many times.

Add: I have tought my son from day one of school that "being late tells (inser teacher name here) that we do not respect her or her time" he is learning from an early age that it is not okay to be late. I rather be early and "hang out" than be late any day.

I don't know why they can't get their kids to school on time. They are setting a bad example and they are making their children think its ok to be late and to waste peoples time. So I think they deserve the fine.

I'm not even going to bother following the link because I'm sure it would piss me off and I'm sure I wouldn't clearly understand "the other side" of the argument. Just from your own first paragraph, I think that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of.

Ok, taking legal action that will cost the father his license (to practice law) is excessive, but it sounds like they have no excuse for their children to be habitually late like that.

I think everyone is late sometimes. No one is on time every where they go every time. It's the way the world turns. Shoot, my kids bus had made them late a few times this year. I even took them out to breakfast on my birthday last week and they were about 15 minutes late to school - should I pay a fine for that?

My kids have exellent attendance and rarely miss a day. Last week was 15 minutes and tomorrow I will be taking them out at lunch. Otherwise, they don't miss school. They know if they miss a day because they are sick that we are going to the doctor's and they will not participate in any after school activities.

Occassionally we will all take a fun day and I'll skip work while they skip school. I mean occassionally as in once a year.

I think with this story it's the fact that it happens so often. It's not an accident when it's almost every day for at least 2 years in a row. If nothing else is working to get these kids to school on time, then yes, it's appropriate.

Just over a week ago my kids celibrated the 100th day of school - so if these kids have been late 85 times... they have been late more then on time. Since they are all under the age of 10 yrs old - I'm hoping the parents are waking the kids, helping them get ready & taking them to school LATE. So, they should be responsible for their actions and their kids as well.

As a mom of 6 with 5 still at home - mornings are not always easy, but even with diaper changes of 2, bottle feeding one and 3 gettting ready for school almost every morning, we have not got the kids late to school but once this year. And that was the first time ever that daddy had to do the morning wake-up & take the kids to school by himself & he had to take them all the kids out (even the 2 babies - 18 mo & 1 wk at that time) because momma was in ICU after a head injury, but even with that they still were on the property before the bell rang, they just weren't in the classroom.

Sorry, but we as parents do need to start stepping it up and take responsiblity for our choices and kids. Or our kids will never take responsiblity for their choices and kids as well.

I just dont know anymore what to think or say but i feel like the school system is getting so hard and so many things that we have to worry about. too many kids in one class, teacher's sleeping with students, student;s shooting up the place. Kids being tardy to class should be the least of everyone's concerns. What our kids are eating, who are the people really that are teaching our kids, and watching them while they are in school. All these test and school work making kids wanna commit suicide, if it were up to me i would want the school system to worry about all these kinds of problems other than kids being tardy to class!!!! just sayin.

In Fairfax County, at least when I was a student, 3 tardy slips equaled one unexcused absence, and 3 unexcused absences equaled failure or expulsion. IMO, these kids should be expelled and their parents held responsible for finding them alternative education.

We live in VA.
I don't know about Waterford, but our elementary school day starts at 9 AM.
How hard it is to be on-time? Especially if mom is a SAHM and has no infants. Dad has to be at work, right? So wake everybody up and get ready. Or dad is also late?
Also, our schools have the electronic way to take attendance. Kids have to push a button to sign themselves in. So the argument about different time in every classroom will not work here, in our school district. System is centralized. When my child was sick and I had to take her to a doctor, our school would call and inform me that my she did not sign in even before I had a chance to call and tell that we have a Dr. appointment.
Since the dad is a lawyer, they probably live in good school district. I'm sure school warned them plenty of times. Even if it's just kids taking too long to walk to school, if I were their mother, I'd just took their hands in mine and march them in their classrooms, regardless their whines about walking to school by themselves. I'd say these parents have to be punished.

I would not pay. let them take me to court.

Hi, M.:
Why were the children tardy?
Just want to know.
D.

Poop happens and kids are late. Once they leave your house and head to the bus stop or school, they're on their own. I can't tell you how many times I left the house and ended up skipping school instead. Really..I can't tell you...lol. My mom thought I went.

When my children were younger, there were times they were late and I would call to let the school know. We never got fined. Then they started the unexcused absences being sent over to the magistrates. I have no control over not being able to get the kids in to the doctor the same day they woke up sick just so I could get a piece of paper stating they were there.

Cut parents some slack. These things happen.

i suppose they have to do something. institutions have schedules, and staffs, and bells, and agendas (even if most of it is busywork.)
but it's also one more sign that the public schools think the kids are theirs.
thank all the gods for homeschooling.
khairete
S.