Parents "off limits" in class?

[jelanismom]

I need to ask, and vent...
Have you ever been shunned or told you can't take your child into the classroom?
Ok, this is what's been happening to me...

today I took Jelani to school but we were 5 minutes past the bell....SO, what normally happens is the gate is locked and the parent needs to bring the child through the office and then on into class. I had normally done this, just walked into the office, signed in on the sheet, said hello to the personel all sitting around, and ventured on into my son's class to drop him off...and then wave goodbye, kiss goodbye, whatever. Sometimes even say goodmorning to his Kindy teacher, and/or aides (*wow, what a concept huh?)...and then after all the pleasantries...I would LEAVE...not stay, not watch...just wave goodbye. SO today I walk into the office with Jelani and I'm ready to sign in and the personel girl grabs her phone and calls to his class to have someone come get him. Just a bit earlier as we got to the schoolgrounds we see one of the aides through the fence waving and telling us she'll call to the aide to come get Jelani. WHAT? Is there some big secret that I'm not supposed to see? I almost just told the office "NO, I'm going to walk my son into class thankyou". But instead I ask, is this some *new* thing that we can't go into the class, I used to before?" She said, "we never enforced it".

I'm waiting for a call back from his Special Ed coordinator. This makes no sense, or does it?
Any insite for me? I was about to go off on them, but I kept my cool.

[ALLISA]

I, too had the SAME thing happen to me.....

I used to walk down to Erin's class to get her, or pick her up....no problem at all....then.....( right around the time we had TROUBLE with her) I wasn't welcome to just walk down anymore.

I tried not to read to much into it....becuase honelsty....I would have NEVER EVER walked to get my other 2 children from their "typical" rooms.....it isn;t done....but......Erin had been in the same school for soooo long....she had preschool there as well and I was always made to feel welcome there......so i just carried the tradition over....and in fact....it probably shouldn't be the way to handle things......

The school can't have parents walking freely into rooms, etc......it just would be inappropriate.....to me.....it always seemed "ok" because she wasn't in a typical setting where I would risk interupting a techer in the middle of a lesson.....but.....in reality.....parents just wandering the halls probably isn;t a good idea......

[damarasmom]

Well, I do know that if we are late for drop off, we go to the office, let them know where she belongs then someone from the office will take her to her class. They have always told us that if we wanted to visit the class room, they simply request a little advance notice so not to disrupt the class and the teaching...I never really gave it much thought, seems to me they are just trying to keep order.

[momofrussell]

Yes, this is becoming more common and common. Schools use to have this "open door" policy and now they are trying to be a bit more restrictive.

I agree try not to read into it. Just let it go.........

A.

[meghans_mom]

i'm not allowed to bring MM past the front doors....and we weren't allowed last year in kindy either. in fact, the preschool my son goes to has instituted a similar policy.

there may be a child in the class who is having separation anxiety problems or something else that has brought this about - or another parent may have complained that they don't want parents "roaming the halls" (not meaning this is you) ....both of these things have happened in our preschool and led to quick changes.

I wouldn't give it a second thought either..i was annoyed when they first changed the policy at the preschool...i thought - i've been walking this kid down the hall for the past 8 months and here it is the last month of school and YOU'RE CHANGING IT NOW?! (plus my son had JUST turned 4 and I wasn't sure he was ready for that quick drop off)
but it all worked out fine...

[Connie]

I understand the schools thinking on this but I too have a problem with it. I feel I as a parent need to be able to check up on MY child without notifying the teacher "as long as I don't interfere with the class and interrupt it!!!"

I need to see how they are interacting with my children without knowing I'm watching them!!!

But, then on the other hand they have to have rules because there are parents out there who make it rough for us all!!!

Connie

[jelanismom]

That's interesting Laurie--here too, it's like 4 weeks before school ends and they decide to implement this policy, I did read into it because you'd think with all the other handouts they stuff in backpacks, they'd maybe give a "heads up" to the parents.
Jelani's been to two different preschools, both of which had the "open door" policy, infact, they encouraged the parents to sit in. I got to be in the back and observe as long as I wanted, and I did so just for the first two weeks. Here in his current Kindy they had name tags by the sign in sheet and I took him to class with no problem, not every day, but maybe 4x a month. But now I can't get past the office and I'm curious as to how things suddenly change right at the end of the year. I suppose I was spoiled, every school does it differently. Thanks for sharing everyone.

[lespring]

If we are on time, and come during the normal morning transition, we can go to the classroom. But if we're late, our kids are escorted to the classroom so as not to disrupt the morning routine that is already started in the classroom.

[laurasmom]

May 27, 2008 14:53:14 GMT -5 lespring said:

If we are on time, and come during the normal morning transition, we can go to the classroom. But if we're late, our kids are escorted to the classroom so as not to disrupt the morning routine that is already started in the classroom.

Pretty much the same at our school. If you are there between 1st and 2nd bell, you can walk your child to class, after signing in at the office and getting a pass. If the 2nd bell has rung, you can't walk your child to class.

I wouldn't read much into it either. Probably enforcing a rule that has been there all along.

Sharon

[Googsmom aka Jennifer]

Another rule I must check into before Brook goes to school. I don't think I would/could handle not being aloud in the class room unanounced for a check up as long as I didn't interupt the other kids in the class and told the office what I was doing. This is of corse just me the overprotective mommy. Homeschooling is sounding better and better everyday.

[CC]

"we never enforced it".

Hmm for me I wouldn't be bugged by it, if thats their rule BUT I find it very interesting they have a rule and decide to enforce it right before school is over for the year I really would be interested when that rule started, just to see how long it took them to enforce, KWIM??

Most here might think I am way off BUT honestly you have said your IEP has said you are due reports or updates I forget how you worded it and they never did it and now they have a rule that was in place but "never enforced it" Hmmm seems like they do what they want when they want and that would make me wonder about them a bit. But I am just talking about me.

CC ~

[cmedrano99]

I am sure it may be a 'rule' here.. and I am sure they will try to enforce it... BUT I will pull my kids out. I am too over protected. Joshua will start 5K again next year, we are going to 'try it' again and hope he don't land in hospital. If they tell me that 'I' can't take him to class and talk to teacher how his night was or keep tabs how things are rolling in class. Ummm Honestly, nope can't let go. They lucky they have him and me not sitting in class the whole day. I have major sepration anixety issues , sorry we been through to much for him to be out of site for too long.
As for Dayton... The school LOVES me to drop him off front door but with his 'issues' we try.. some days work some days don't. I can't go inside the class room but I can stand in hall and watch him through the door.. lol Once seen, he ready to leave. When younger, I use to take him to class and stick around just like I do with Joshua.
Courtney.. she a teenager and rather do it ALONE! I do drop her off at her room.. lol When she was younger.. When she was younger... I did the same as Joshua now.

So I would be put off on the all of the sudden enforce it... but hey that is me.. I would talk to the teacher and if couldn't work anything out.. well only a few weeks left.. and I pull out and stay home.. LOL.. but that is me!

[Chris too]

The legal term is "in loco perentus" (not sure of the spelling) - and it means that when your child is in school, the scholl "takes the place of" the parent - so, to have you there is confusing: who is the parent right now? It is my discomfiture with this that is one of my main reasons for keeping my kids home for school. I'm with Connie, it should be allowed & if you can fight it, do. I'm not saying more because this sort of thing makes me

[Ericsmomma]

Sometimes I take Eric to his class....thats when a aide isn't available to walk him down.
Same goes for when I pick him up. I'm just wondering if it isn't a "staff" thing, like making sure the aide does her job, and doesn't depend on the "parent" doing what she/he should be doing. Just a thought.