100 lost days

It was reported in the newspaper here today that yesterday was the 100th school day that the public school kids have missed classes this year for all the various reasons they cancel school. A representative of the school board said it was actually the 85th day missed, as if that makes it better. The school year starts the first of Feb. and goes until the beginning of Nov. usually. That means classes started 34 weeks ago times 5 days per week equals 170 total week days during this school year. The students are supposed to have 200 days of classes to finish a school year.

Thus far they have gone to class 95 days by the counting of the school board, 70 by the counting of the newspaper, and classes normally end one month from now. At this point they don't know what they are going to do, either (1) give the kids a free pass and count the 90-120 or so days they go to school by the beginning of Nov. as a full year, (2) make them stay in school until Jan. and only have a couple weeks off before the start of the next school year, or (3) make them repeat the entire year. I cannot imagine they would do the last option, but who knows. I'm in favor of the second option, more school to make up the time, but of course all the kids are in favor of the first one of just pass us along to the next grade.

As I have said before, fortunately about 20 of the 31 kids who go to school attend a private school where they have not missed nearly as many days as the public school. 9 of the remaining 11 go to a public school with a Principal who does not follow all the strikes, but only some of them. Those kids have gone to school more than the numbers above for the schools in general. Only the two youngest boys living with me in our separate casa, Jonathan and Jaime, go to a regular public school that follows all the strikes.