Parents Take Blame For Child's Tardiness - Spend Detention With Her

[matcom]

<snip>

PEARLAND, Texas -- Susan and Steven Manis say it was their fault their daughter was late for school so they shared her punishment -- spending an hour with her in detention.

The couple says their 13-year-old daughter, Jessica Dunkley, was being unfairly punished for being late six times in October and November when the family's van wouldn't start.

So when administrators insisted the Pearland Junior High School East seventh-grader would have to spend an hour in detention, they decided to go with her.

"We're more at fault than she is," said Susan Manis, who had appealed the administration's decision.

After the punishment was over, Jessica said it was "a little embarrassing" to have her mom and stepfather in detention with her. But, she said, "I'm proud of them for sticking up for what they believe in."

During the hour, the trio copied two pages from a school handbook about pillars of good citizenship.

The first one, Susan Manis pointed out, is "stand up for your convictions."

http://www.wftv.com/irresistible/4060615/detail.html

[LiberalVoice]

1. Thats a nice story

Thanks.

[buddhamama]

2. they sound like great parents

[Phentex]

4. What's so great about making your kid late for school?

[buddhamama]

7. they took responsibility

for it and, "accepted" the punishment along with their child. it is imo, responsible parenting and, a good lesson for their girl.

[Phentex]

8. fair enough.

[tsakshaug]

3. "Van wouldn't start"

There is a big yellow thing that goes around neighborhoods that brings kids to school.

[KitchenWitch]

5. Not necessarily

Public school districts are short funding and often transportation gets cut. Some districts in Minnesota are discontinuing bus service for children that live over 1-1/2 miles away. I realize this was a Texas school and they do not have the weather we do here in MN, but that is a darn long walk, and maybe the parents live in an area that is not really "walkable" but the district has discontinued bus service.

[Phentex]

6. How do the other kids manage to get there?

carpool?

[blondeatlast]

10. Thanks, I wanted to take it but you've done a great job.

I hate to see these parents jumped on; it's so rare to hear about parents doing the right thing.

[LWolf]

11. My school has no buses

except for the special ed bus for the special ed kids.

This is a new thing, instituted last year due to budget cuts.

If this girl has access to a bus, or is in walking distance, I agree that she can be responsible, at 13, for getting out the door on time.

[noonwitch]

12. A lot of urban districts don't have busses

Detroit doesn't have a lot of busses. Most kids walk or get driven by their parents. After a few years ago, when there was a string of rapes of girls on their way to school, most parents who have cars drive their kids to school.

I grew up in suburban Grand Rapids. In elementary and high school, I rode the bus. The middle school was very close to my house and I walked. There was a rule-if you lived more than a half mile from the elementary school, you got bussed, if you lived 3/4 from the middle school, and if you live over a mile from the high school.

[blondeatlast]

9. Good for them!

Great parents.

[tsakshaug]

13. Transportation at this district

If they are less than 2 miles they don't get a bus or if they live in a gated community. They can pay if they live closer than 2 miles.

From the Pearland ISD Transportation Dept
http://www.pearlandisd.org/Transportation/info.htm

Eligibility and Bus Fees
Transportation is provided free of charge to students who live two miles or more from his/her zoned campus as measured by the nearest commonly traveled public road. Transportation is available for a fee to students who live within two miles of their zoned campus.

Bus Route Information
• All bus routes are designed to operate as efficiently and effectively as possible while still meeting the students’ needs.
• Where possible, stops are located such that students should walk no more than .5 mile to the nearest bus stop.

Gated Communities, Private Property, and Construction
• Pearland ISD buses are not permitted to operate on private property. Gated communities and apartment complexes are considered private property.