[Southsider2k12]

Does anyone know the full story on this? Is there a good reason that I can't think of why someone's civic duty isn't important enough to be an excused absence?

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=41397.99

Students should be excused to volunteer
Shame on the Michigan City High School administration, the principal, for not approving excused absences for the high school students volunteering their services at the polling stations Tuesday. Another reason the voters in Michigan City needed to look at their elected officials on the school board, the administration and who is running our schools.

Cindy Evans

Michigan City

[Roger Kaputnik]

Angie called in to the radio (Remember that this means WIMS AM 1420; call the studio line 861-1632.) and gave more info on this. It was not quite as the letterwriter put it.

[Southsider2k12]

Great!

I would hope there is more to this. As an institution that is supposed to be preparing kids to be adults, things like volunteer work and civic duties should be slam dunks.

[Roger Kaputnik]

The basic gist seemed to be that it had to be arranged ahead of time with some person or organization to sign off on it, not just a sudden whim with no supervision.

[Southsider2k12]

The basic gist seemed to be that it had to be arranged ahead of time with some person or organization to sign off on it, not just a sudden whim with no supervision.

That makes perfect sense in the context of the issue. That's why I love having people around to give the whole story!

[eric.hanke]

OK. Here's the deal. The MCAS Student Attendance Policy has to follow Indiana Code 20-33-2-15 through 17.5.

You can't just decide on a whim that you want to assist at a polling place in an election. The Code makes the student and candidate receiving benefit from the poll worker, do some work to prove their desire to work the poll.

MCAS Attendance Policy

Below is the excerpt from the IC:

IC 20-33-2-15

Attendance exception; service on precinct election board or for political candidates or parties
Sec. 15. (a) The governing body of a school corporation and the chief administrative official of a nonpublic secondary school system shall authorize the absence and excuse of each secondary school student who serves:
(1) on the precinct election board; or
(2) as a helper to a political candidate or to a political party on the date of each general, city or town, special, and primary election at which the student works.
("b") Before the date of the election, the student must submit a document signed by one (1) of the student's parents giving permission to participate in the election as provided in this section, and the student must verify to school authorities the performance of services by submitting a document signed by the candidate, political party chairman, campaign manager, or precinct officer generally describing the duties of the student on the date of the election. A student excused from school attendance under this section may not be recorded as being absent on any date for which the excuse is operative and may not be penalized by the school in any manner.

[Southsider2k12]

Excellent. Thanks for finding that!

[Marram]

My nephew, a student at MCHS, spoke to the attendance officer about a week ahead of time. His understanding was that he needed a note from me after the election. I wrote and signed a note describing the work that he did, his experience at the polls, and stating that I gave him a short lesson on election procedures, policies, strategy, and history.

They appear to have accepted his absence as an excused one.

But they also noted that any lesson I gave him on strategy was probably completely inaccurate, given my track record.

[Roger Kaputnik]

Exactly. A bit wordy but clear enough.

[Roger Kaputnik]

But they also noted that any lesson I gave him on strategy was probably completely inaccurate, given my track record.

I give you two quotes about US Grant to consider:

In 1864, when hearing complaints during the protracted Wilderness Campaign, he answered that he "proposed to fight along these lines" however long it took to win.

When President Lincoln, in the midst of Grant's mano-a-mano fighting in Virginia, heard complaints of his heavy drinking, he responded, "Find out what brand of whisky he is drinking so we can give it to the other generals.

[Marram]

I give you two quotes about US Grant to consider:

In 1864, when hearing complaints during the protracted Wilderness Campaign, he answered that he "proposed to fight along these lines" however long it took to win.

When President Lincoln, in the midst of Grant's mano-a-mano fighting in Virginia, heard complaints of his heavy drinking, he responded, "Find out what brand of whisky he is drinking so we can give it to the other generals.

"Grant was necessary to bring the war to a close... his positive qualities, his power to wield force to the bitter end, much entitle him to rank high as a commanding general. His concentration of energies, inflexible purpose, imperturbable long-suffering, his masterly reticence, ignoring either advice or criticism, his magnanimity in all relations, but more than all his infinite trust in the final triumph of his cause, set him apart and alone above all others. With these attributes we could not call him less than great."
- Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

"That man will fight us every day and every hour till the end of the war."
- James Longstreet

[Yokas]

OK. Here's the deal. The MCAS Student Attendance Policy has to follow Indiana Code 20-33-2-15 through 17.5.

You can't just decide on a whim that you want to assist at a polling place in an election. The Code makes the student and candidate receiving benefit from the poll worker, do some work to prove their desire to work the poll.

MCAS Attendance Policy

Below is the excerpt from the IC:

IC 20-33-2-15

Attendance exception; service on precinct election board or for political candidates or parties
Sec. 15. (a) The governing body of a school corporation and the chief administrative official of a nonpublic secondary school system shall authorize the absence and excuse of each secondary school student who serves:
(1) on the precinct election board; or
(2) as a helper to a political candidate or to a political party on the date of each general, city or town, special, and primary election at which the student works.
("b") Before the date of the election, the student must submit a document signed by one (1) of the student's parents giving permission to participate in the election as provided in this section, and the student must verify to school authorities the performance of services by submitting a document signed by the candidate, political party chairman, campaign manager, or precinct officer generally describing the duties of the student on the date of the election. A student excused from school attendance under this section may not be recorded as being absent on any date for which the excuse is operative and may not be penalized by the school in any manner.

Okay; that is the policy, not the practice. Once again, MCAS has good policies in place; they just don't follow them. And who loses--the kids. Actual practice for election 2008 is that the candidate that the student was working for gave the student an excuse while s/he was working the polls (ideally towards the end of the school day). The student took that into the attendance office on election Wednesday and they were excused. No written parent permission was required. Of course some graft and corruption took place. Did the student photocopy and give to friends? Maybe. Personally, I've been working with MCHS attendance straightening out some of those issues. It's a total headache for attendance.
In days gone by, the social studies department selected the kids, and the student received some extra credit.

[eric.hanke]

Okay; that is the policy, not the practice. Once again, MCAS has good policies in place; they just don't follow them. And who loses--the kids. Actual practice for election 2008 is that the candidate that the student was working for gave the student an excuse while s/he was working the polls (ideally towards the end of the school day). The student took that into the attendance office on election Wednesday and they were excused. No written parent permission was required. Of course some graft and corruption took place. Did the student photocopy and give to friends? Maybe. Personally, I've been working with MCHS attendance straightening out some of those issues. It's a total headache for attendance.
In days gone by, the social studies department selected the kids, and the student received some extra credit.

Actually, it's State Law, not MCAS policy. Your “actual practice” explanation is in direct violation of Indiana State Law, and if followed, should result in an un-excused absence from school.

I researched this several weeks prior to the election in the event my children wanted to assist me at a polling place and found the MCAS Administrative Guidelines and Policies website very easy to navigate; they subscribe to Neola, and referenced the Indiana Code relating to student attendance and excused absence conditions.

If a student follows Indiana State Law I am not sure how they lose out, especially if they, or the candidate, did their due diligence regarding the Law and its’ application.

The only way the student “loses out” is if they continually are allowed to break the rules through parent involvement or some other type of coercion.

This sounds like an easy issue to resolve. All those who followed Indiana State Law are excused, all others are not.

[Yokas]

Actually, it's State Law, not MCAS policy. Your “actual practice” explanation is in direct violation of Indiana State Law, and if followed, should result in an un-excused absence from school.

I researched this several weeks prior to the election in the event my children wanted to assist me at a polling place and found the MCAS Administrative Guidelines and Policies website very easy to navigate; they subscribe to Neola, and referenced the Indiana Code relating to student attendance and excused absence conditions.

If a student follows Indiana State Law I am not sure how they lose out, especially if they, or the candidate, did their due diligence regarding the Law and its’ application.

The only way the student “loses out” is if they continually are allowed to break the rules through parent involvement or some other type of coercion.

This sounds like an easy issue to resolve. All those who followed Indiana State Law are excused, all others are not.

Don't mis-understand me; I am for following the rules. I am against punishing the kids b/c the adults did not follow the rules. I called MCHS, spoke to the principal and to attendance, and was told what to do; send the student in with a note the next day. We had a pizza party for the kids on Election Monday, and spent some time talking about election procedures with them. If Indiana Code was not followed, talk to school officials, don't punish the kids. Your resolution to not following IC is exactly what I mean when I say that the kids lose. They are absolutely the last ones that should be punished.
I don't understand your sentence about the student break(ing) the rules through parent involvement or some other type of coercion. let me say that my experience in education is that most parents want their kids to follow rules, learn from their mistakes, become responsible adults, etc. I never found it to be the norm that parents helped their kids break the rules.

[Southsider2k12]

This sounds like another symptom of poor management at the administrative levels, yet again. How the heck is it that we have more administrators than any other respective school systems in the area, yet ours is seemingly lost? Its one more time where we see the school system picking and choosing the rules that it wants to enforce. How can we teach the kids of MC about fairness and consistency when the people they are watching run their school system can't even do it themselves? They try to teach them about working with people, yet they won't talk to the Park Board about an existing contract. They try to teach respect, yet their lawyers quit because the MCAS was forcing too many lawsuits against teachers.

Its yet another nail in the coffin.

[eric.hanke]

As School Board candidates it is our job to educate ourselves with election processes, procedures, and laws; not school administration, the LaPorte County Clerk, Election Board, etc…

It is unfortunate that the MCHS attendance officers are not up to speed on the attendance laws that directly relate to their position; something that needs attention, especially since the exact Indiana Code is referenced in the MCAS Attendance Policy. However, unless you are counting attendance officers as part of “school administration” they (school administration) did not do anything wrong.

Now before you think I am OK with our administration, its’ size, etc… I am not. We need a serious overall of all MCAS administration/administrators from the Superintendant down. The number of administrators is seriously out of balance.

Regarding my “breaking the rules…” quote; your “working with the MCHS attendance office” is an example of my statement. However unfortunate that you were provided with incorrect information, you are still trying to circumvent Indiana State Law and overturn the unexcused absence. It is my opinion that the unexcused absence is in direct result of not following Indiana State Law regarding student election workers. I hope when you say “the adults did not follow the rules” you are including yourself. We, as “adults” need to lead by example.

I strongly believe as an involved community leader and prospective MCAS Board Member it is our jobs to thoroughly research the potential role we may serve in the community. I am concerned you were provided with incorrect information and will address the setback at the various MCAS levels. But I have learned over the years dealing with the entire educational system, things are always not what they seem.

The fact that you received incorrect information from MCHS attendance is moot. The attendance record of those who did not follow the rules should represent an unexcused absence from school.

Part of life is living with the results when people feed you bad information. Welcome to my world as a MCAS parent.

Just out of curiosity, when did you contact MCHS attendance and where was your pizza party?

[Roger Kaputnik]

Amen, amen.

[Yokas]

As School Board candidates it is our job to educate ourselves with election processes, procedures, and laws; not school administration, the LaPorte County Clerk, Election Board, etc…

It is unfortunate that the MCHS attendance officers are not up to speed on the attendance laws that directly relate to their position; something that needs attention, especially since the exact Indiana Code is referenced in the MCAS Attendance Policy. However, unless you are counting attendance officers as part of “school administration” they (school administration) did not do anything wrong.

Now before you think I am OK with our administration, its’ size, etc… I am not. We need a serious overall of all MCAS administration/administrators from the Superintendant down. The number of administrators is seriously out of balance.

Regarding my “breaking the rules…” quote; your “working with the MCHS attendance office” is an example of my statement. However unfortunate that you were provided with incorrect information, you are still trying to circumvent Indiana State Law and overturn the unexcused absence. It is my opinion that the unexcused absence is in direct result of not following Indiana State Law regarding student election workers. I hope when you say “the adults did not follow the rules” you are including yourself. We, as “adults” need to lead by example.

I strongly believe as an involved community leader and prospective MCAS Board Member it is our jobs to thoroughly research the potential role we may serve in the community. I am concerned you were provided with incorrect information and will address the setback at the various MCAS levels. But I have learned over the years dealing with the entire educational system, things are always not what they seem.

The fact that you received incorrect information from MCHS attendance is moot. The attendance record of those who did not follow the rules should represent an unexcused absence from school.

Part of life is living with the results when people feed you bad information. Welcome to my world as a MCAS parent.

Just out of curiosity, when did you contact MCHS attendance and where was your pizza party?

May we agree to disagree

[eric.hanke]

May we agree to disagree

Not sure how you can disagree with Indiana State Law... But sure.

/shrugs

[eric.hanke]

I had an interesting discussion with Sara Fine this past week. Sarah Fine is the Student Support Services Coordinator.

Mrs. Fine's call was the result of a call and discussion with Betsy Kohn and one of the attendance secretaries at the MCHS.

Mrs. Fine manages the attendance officers for the MCAS. At least that is her job this week. She does not manage the attendance secretary at the school; that is the responsibility of each building principal.

Mrs. Fine assured me that she and the attendance officers were fully educated on the MCAS Attendance Policy, Sarah herself was on the team that authored the policy. I asked Mrs. Fine if the attendance secretaries were familiar with the policy since they (the attendance secretary) are the ones who most likely make the attendance policy decisions. She was not sure and directed those questions to the building principal, in this case Mr. Mark Francesconi, for an answer. She did state that everyone, including the teachers, is briefed regarding the MCAS Attendance Policy at the beginning of the school year as part of orientation. But no further in house continuing education regarding the attendance policy takes place thorough the school year.

My original concern was the attendance secretaries are not up to speed on the MCAS Attendance Policy, let alone Indiana State Law, and that the good ole’ wink and a smile by someone who used to be employed by the MCAS is allowing students who should have an unexcused absence reflected on his/her record by not following MCAS Attendance Policy and Indiana State Law was actually being excused from school has blossomed into a full fledge investigation into MCAS/MCHS Attendance Policy enforcement at the MCHS.

My 30+ minute phone call with Mrs. Fine brought up additional things for me to follow up on.

They are:

1. Is Mr. Francesconi aware of these practices?

I will know once he returns my phone message.

2. Why can’t the attendance officers remind teachers of the attendance policy thorough the year, or before elections, etc?

This could easily be done. All the schools are required to have some type of scheduled meeting thorough the year. The attendance officer could briefly speak regarding the attendance policy and focus on a different part thorough the year. For example, in October they could go over parts of the Attendance Policy that relate to elections. They could also post a little ½ page reminder on the schools bulletin board next to the “who is bringing pot luck in Friday” page with additional information. And lastly, they could send out an e-mail to the Social Study teachers with information. I know the teachers have e-mail; I have an MCAS in house e-mail endorsing the three candidates before the election.

3. Who and how are outside resources influencing attendance policy decisions?

This is going to be an interesting issue.

I will continue to update this thread as information becomes available. Stay tuned.