Parental Notification

A school board in Roseville, California recently attempted to pass an issue that would make it so that schools could deny parents notification if their children left the school grounds for confidential medical appointments or counseling during regular school hours. [Read It Here] The issue was removed when parents and the local community voiced their concern over its possible inclusion in their school district.

I agree with the parents and other concerned community members on this issue. I believe that as long as the student attending the school is a minor, the parents or guardians must be informed if that student will be leaving the school property during the school day. As a parent or a guardian of a child you are legally and morally obligated to the wellbeing of that person, and it is important that our schools assist the parents or guardians of students in informing them when a student will be leaving the grounds during school hours.

There are some situations in which students may wish to keep meetings with health care workers, law enforcement or councilors private because these meetings may be directly related to their current guardians or home life. In these types of situations the school faculty should work with the child to help them make the choices that are best in those circumstances. In either case, it is important that our school systems have the best intentions for our children in mind at all times.