So, while I was sitting in the manicurist's chair on Friday with my daughter next to me getting her nails done as well, my manicurists asks me why she's not in school. I explained that it was a teacher's work day, so the students had the day off.
(They'd also been released early the day prior, but I didn't mention that.)
He asked me, "Wasn't there no school for two days already in the last two weeks?"
And I replied, "Yes...one day was a holiday (Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday) and the other was a teacher's work day."
He asked me why they needed two teacher's work days within two weeks, and I honestly couldn't answer that question.
He asked when the next day of no school was going to happen...and I told him that my daughter was going on an overnight field trip Tuesday and Wednesday, so she would be missing school.
And then we have President's Day, which means the kids will miss another day of school in February.
He shook his head and said, "That's why American students are so dumb. In Asia, the schools don't close every week. Your children aren't attending enough school."
Well, duh.
This is our calendar for the first quarter of 2012.
All those Xs? Those are days that the children don't have school.
All those / across dates? Those are also days that the children don't have school.
All of those O across the dates? Those are also days that the children don't have school.
In the first quarter, our of 62 weekdays that our children would ordinarily be in school, they are actually only going to school for 50 days. That is TWELVE days they have off, and that is right after being out of school for two weeks for Christmas break.
It's no wonder our kids have such a hard time in school these days - they aren't there long enough to learn anything!
tamie
It does seem like they are missing more school than usual these days.
Abby
Is there a minimum number of days they must go a year? If they have so many days off, does this go into their summer break, like a snow day would? That does seem like a lot of time off!
ohkeeka [The Type A Housewife]
Wow, 15 year old me wants to go to school where your kids go! I don't think we had nearly as many days off. Although in Asia, don't they go to school on Saturdays too?!
Jenny
Eh. I wouldn't worry too much. They learn a lot outside of school as well.
Kathy
I am not sure why your teachers would need a work day so close to winter break, but I know a lot of people who get MLK and President's Day off.
Canadian Mom Blogger
I think my kids would want to go to that school too!
Henrietta
My kids would love that school! We don't get that many days off!
Jessica Gottlieb
I'd LOVE that school.
I know it makes me awful but I love having my kids home.
{Not Quite} Susie Homemaker
That's crazy! That's a LOT of days. If that would have been my school growing up my parents would have been screwed since they both worked a lot & we were too poor for after care type places. But more importantly, that's a lot of missed learning!