This is the e-mail that I sent to my state senator, lets see how he repsonds

I placed a call today to your offices yet wished to follow up with this letter. My 13 year old daughter recently was sick with a staph infection, which infected her nostrils , face and ear. She missed four days of school. This put her at the 20 day mark for her total absences.
Her guidance counselor pulled her out of class yesterday and questioned her, asking about her home life , did she feel safe at home, was she having peer problems? My daughter was confused and frightened. She did inform her counselor that she was recently sick with the contagious staph and that she hadn't been feeling well for a while.

I received a letter on Sat. from the school informing me of the '20 day situation', she was pulled out of class on Monday. When I called the school this morning (Tuesday , today)about Miranda being pulled out of class in this manner, I was repeatedly told it is the law!!! That she can not miss so much school, that they could take me to court . I was violating the law by keeping my sick daughter home from school.

I was told to look at the state statutes. I do not doubt they exist.


In addition I was told that the counselor is my daughters advocate both in and out of school! That she was checking for possible abuse at home, maybe a beating and she was hiding bruises... just a possibility. This is an outrage in my opinion. My daughter knew what she was getting at.

I had e-mailed her teachers about her contagious staph infection. Yet I was told that I did not inform the counselor ,when I should have. When did the counselors receive so much authority?

The law gives our children 10 days of sick excused absences. However, the average virus infection takes 10 to 14 days for recovery, the flu can take much longer.

This law forces parents to send their children to school when they are sick . Now I am told that I must have a doctors excuse if she gets sick again...we are uninsured, my husband recently lost his job, and is working for $10.00 an hour. needless to say going to the Dr. is a costly event.

As a parent, I can judge and my rights to do so should not be compromised, to determine if my child is not feeling well and would benefit from rest by staying home from school. I should be able to retain my right to determine if she should see a Dr. or not. Now I am told that the state of Wisconsin law orders that she must see a Dr. if she is sick, and provide a written excuse or we as parents will be taken to court!!! Outrageous. .

This is police like action, big brother looking over our shoulders. It is highly invasive because my daughter was sick that she be interrogated about possible physical abuse occurring in her home. She is a A student. She is a very good girl. This was traumatic for her . The school continued to site that it was state law!! That they have to do this.

This 10 day sick day law, conflicts with human health safety issues. Sending children who are sick to school, puts many others at risk. Parents are afraid to keep there child home for fear of being taken to court by the State. It does not matter if the parent tells the school that they were sick or that the parent allowed the child to stay home...it is the law.

As a mother of four children, I write for all of parents, for I am not alone , on this issue. What can be done about this? The law wont change, things will more than likely become more police enforced, We will need to look at other options for schooling. Homeschooling( need a stay home parent) or private options, ( who can afford it?) if we are not content with the State determining how many days our children are allowed to be sick.