I took my oldest daughter out of school (missing 2-3 days each time) for WDW trips when she was in K-5, first grade and second grade. While the absences were unexcused, she was rarely absent otherwise, her teachers had no objection and it had no effect on her grades. We hoped to do the same in third grade, but that year the teacher indicated it would present a problem, in that she would miss instruction and according to school policy she was not supposed to go back through lessons with students which were missed due to unexcused absences. I think that is COMPLETELY REASONABLE!!!!! We rescheduled our trip to a time when school was not in session.
Teachers have hard enough jobs. It is unfair that, just because it is more convenient for us to go during school that we should make their lives harder. What if every student just decided to show up if and when they wanted and teachers were forced to repeat lessons at the whim of vacationing parents? Rules are rules and these are not arbitrary. I cannot imagine lying and telling my child to lie and say that they were sick when they were actually at Disney. What a terrible example that is setting, and I am sure that most young kids would feel very torn and upset at being forced to lie. What a lesson you are sending to your children -- if you don't like a rule then it is okay to lie to get around it. There is no justification for that. I love Disney as much as anyone, but deciding that the rules don't apply to me if they thwart my wants, and teaching my child to be dishonest is simply WRONG. No trip is worth that.
Teachers have hard enough jobs. It is unfair that, just because it is more convenient for us to go during school that we should make their lives harder. What if every student just decided to show up if and when they wanted and teachers were forced to repeat lessons at the whim of vacationing parents? Rules are rules and these are not arbitrary. I cannot imagine lying and telling my child to lie and say that they were sick when they were actually at Disney. What a terrible example that is setting, and I am sure that most young kids would feel very torn and upset at being forced to lie. What a lesson you are sending to your children -- if you don't like a rule then it is okay to lie to get around it. There is no justification for that. I love Disney as much as anyone, but deciding that the rules don't apply to me if they thwart my wants, and teaching my child to be dishonest is simply WRONG. No trip is worth that.