School Charges Parents Fee For Tardy Pickups

[Family Ties Forever!]

link (http://www.click2houston.com/education/21408847/detail.html)

School Charges Parents Fee For Tardy Pickups
Parents To Be Charged $5 For Every 10 Minutes They're Late

Posted: Friday, October 23, 2009
Updated: 9:29 pm CDT October 23, 2009

Portland, Ore. -- Late fees have always been a popular punishment for video rentals, library books and credit cards, but a Portland school has started to charge a fee for parents who don't pick up their children on time.

KPTV-TV reported that Woodmere Elementary School in southeast Portland issued the warning to parents this week: show up late and pay the price.

The new policy is listed in the school's weekly newsletter. When students are dismissed, parents will have a 10-minute grace period. Beginning at 3:10 p.m., the school will charge parents $5 for every 10 minutes they're late to pick up their child.

Hannah Evans, whose child is in kindergarten at Woodmere, opposes the fee.

"That's harsh. I think there's something different that they could do other than charge you money," Evans said. "It's hard enough with school supplies, but to start charging for being late? I don't think that's fair."

School officials call it a "child care fee." Matt Shelby, a spokesman with Portland Public Schools, said it is aimed at a handful of parents who have been chronically late to pick up their child.

"It's about a tool the school can use to really keep kids from staying at school over and over and over," Shelby said.

Shelby said there will be exceptions for parents with a legitimate excuse. Woodmere Elementary School hopes the late fee will provide an incentive for parents to show up on time. Parent Andrea Hawk said the fee may work.

"If I knew that that was the case then I would definitely have to make sure that I had arrangements for them," Hawk said.

District officials said there are still many wrinkles to be ironed out. They weren't sure how the fines would be handed down or how payment would be enforced. On Thursday, all parents showed up on time to pick up their children.

"The policy went into effect today and everybody was on time," Shelby said.

While it's not a districtwide policy, Portland Public Schools administrators said they'll study the effectiveness of the fees. Depending on the results, they may institute it at other schools.

Distributed by Internet Broadcasting.

[Family Ties Forever!]

Do you think parents should be charged a late fee?

[Schmoopie]

Well I worked at a few daycares that would actually charge $5 a MINUTE for being late. I don't think it was to get extra money, but rather to encourage parents to come get their kids. Otherwise they are having to pay the staff to stay there after hours. I had to do that a few times and believe me, I was working two jobs at the time and I didn't want to stay any later than I had to.

I've never heard of this being done at an elementary school, but I think it's a good idea. If parents know that they won't be able to pick up their kid on time, then they should make other arrangements. I've waited all alone after school for a pickup a few times. My mom taught school and if my grandmother couldn't pick me up after school, then I'd have to wait on my mom. Back then I guess it was safe enough for a student to be waiting outside alone (if it was light) but these days it's pretty dangerous. It's probably a safety issue as well.

[Marvo301]

I think there must be a better way to deal with this issue. This really ends up being just another tax in a world that is already overtaxed. And I wonder about the legality of this fee. I would love to see a parent challenge this in court and see what happens.

[Zoneboy]

The parents should charge the school a fee when the bus is late picking up their kids. :rolleyes:

[Schmoopie]

The parents should charge the school a fee when the bus is late picking up their kids. :rolleyes:
That's a good point!

[MickeyMac]

This is plain silly in my opinion. Sometimes people for whatever reason are running late. Whatever happened to just giving out tardy slips?? When I was in high school after a certain number of tardies you got detention. It worked then.

[catlover79]

The parents should charge the school a fee when the bus is late picking up their kids. :rolleyes:
:clap :clap :clap

[Chocoholic]

As someone who works at an elementary school, I can see both side of this issue. I know things come up and sometimes a parent needs to drop the kids off early or is running a little late to pick up the kids when the school day is over. Kids sometimes miss the bus too and have to wait for someone to come get them. However, it is the PARENT'S responsibility to make sure their child is being looked after before and after school hours, not the school's. The teachers spend some time before the morning bell rings getting ready for the school day and often spend time in the classroom when the day is over correcting papers, making lesson plans, calling parents, etc. They also have their own families to get home to.

We've had a few parents who were chronically late in getting their kids to school or picking them up. A meeting with the principal and truant officer usually solved the problem.

[PlayOn]

This is plain silly in my opinion. Sometimes people for whatever reason are running late.

That's what I thought when I read the article. Sometimes, people have to work late and don't have time (or another person) to get their kids.

[gidgetgrape]

I think it's a good idea for chronically late parents. A relative of mine works at an elementary school and some of the parents are over an hour late picking up their children. She has to stay at the school until everyone is gone so this is very inconvenient to her. She told me that often when she calls parents they don't apologize for being tardy and occasionally ask if she can drop the child home (against the school's rules).

These days not picking up your child can become a safety issue. Children hanging around a school unsupervised are a target for perverts and weirdoes.

[ZeldaGilroy]

I don't see how they can get by with charging for late pick-ups but believe me, I see their point. I wait after school with the same kid every single day. His mom shows up 30-45 minutes late each day. I am her free babysitter and it is not fair. I do not get paid to watch kids afterschool and I have other aspects of my job that need to be taken care of like planning lessons, cleaning my classroom, and grading papers. Not to mention this kid is a handful anyway so he requires constant attention. If parents are an hour late we can call social services. Of course we would never do that if there was a legitimate excuse, but some people need to realize that school ends at a certain time and they should be there to get their kids.

[ekkostar]

Brings a new meaning for "tardy for the party"! :D

*Harry Stone pun jaw drop*

[PZelda]

That's what I thought when I read the article. Sometimes, people have to work late and don't have time (or another person) to get their kids.
This is why they should be making other arrangements in case something like this ever happens. They NEED to think about things like this - kids are a huge responsibility.

[catlover79]

Just one more reason I'm glad I don't have kids!!

[Doodyville10019]

Just one more reason I'm glad I don't have kids!!


...same here! :clap :clap :clap

[Chocoholic]

The sad thing is that, years ago, a lot of these kids could have walked home. Now even that isn't safe. Look at that poor little girl in Florida.