Dorchester passes time-off planBy Dave Munday (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
SUMMERVILLE — Another local government is giving workers time off to take their children to school the first day. Dorchester County Council narrowly approved the policy for its 745 workers last week. Workers can miss an hour of work to take their children to school Thursday and still get paid for it. It's part of an initiative, started by the city of Charleston, to reduce the dropout rate by getting parents more involved. Trident United Way, a partner in the First Day Initiative, sent the letter inviting Dorchester County to get on board. The city of Charleston has a similar policy, but North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Charleston County and Berkeley County do not, according to officials contacted Monday. Charleston and Berkeley county workers can take time off out of their annual leave bank. "If you offer somebody an hour away from work for free, others will say, 'Where is my hour?' " Mount Pleasant Town Administrator Mac Burdette said. "We get into some equity issues. We try to work it out with our employees on a case-by-case basis." Dorchester County adopted the time-off policy by a 4-3 vote. Chris Murphy, Mike Murphree and Jamie Feltner argued that parents can meet teachers without taking time off from work at taxpayers' expense. Proponents called it a good investment if it helps keep kids in school. Dorchester School District 2, which includes the Summerville area, has always encouraged parents to meet teachers the first day of school, Public Information Officer Pat Raynor said. Many of the elementary schools have what they call a Boo Hoo Breakfast for parents who want some reassurance after dropping off kindergartners, she said. The First Day Initiative also aims at parents of older children, United Way Marketing Director Mary Girault said. District 2 parents can also meet teachers and let children see their classrooms at open houses before school starts. They will be held this evening at elementary schools and Wednesday evening at middle schools. The high schools will hold open houses next month (Sept. 9 at Fort Dorchester and Summerville and Sept. 16 at Ashley Ridge). Reach Dave Munday at 7 45-5862 or dmunday@postandcourier.com. |
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Comments
This article has 12 comment(s)
Posted by lou9 on August 19, 2008 at 7:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
For those of us who don't work for the government - did your employer give you time off with pay so you could take your child to school? Of course not. More and more government employees are starting to expect entitlements and handouts, just like those on welfare. Our elected officials at work again wasting our tax dollars.
Posted by drp7773 on August 19, 2008 at 8:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Would you expect anything else, it's not their money and we know how they love to waste money.
Posted by DoaMM on August 19, 2008 at 8:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
CB, just add them...and by the way, it's "frickin'...".
:)
Well, I guess we can just expect government employees to get paid for the rest of the year when they are dealing with anything involving their kids. You know, football practice, band practice, detention, etc.
What about the government employees that don't have kids? Do they get paid to take time to walk their dog, pet their cat, or feed the gerbil?
Sheeesh...
Posted by iceman1978 on August 19, 2008 at 10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ok, I could understand this if it's the childs very first day of school when they start kindergarten. That's tough on kids and you're always going to have a few that cry so maybe it's better for mom and dad to stay with them for a few minutes so they know everything will be ok. I'm not saying that I agree with them getting paid for it. I think if they are it should be counted off on personal leave.
But high school? Give me a break. They know the drill by now and shouldn't need mom and dad to help them.
Posted by Native_Ink on August 19, 2008 at 10:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's comments like these that will keep employees in South Carolina at the bottom. I hope you love working 50,60, or 70 hours a week for the same money workers elsewhere earn in 40.
Posted by proudmomma on August 19, 2008 at 10:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
CB-Actually, I think it's "friggin'".
This extra hour negates the entire point of Open House and Meet the Teacher nights. It isn't needed.
I really could have used that Boo Hoo breakfast, though. I was a basket case for most of the day after dropping off my littlest at kindergarten.
Posted by gococks1985 on August 19, 2008 at 10:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Here's my story: I have always and will continue to be home when my children get home from school on the FIRST day. That is the only day I leave work early. I don't get paid unless I take personal time for it. I could give a rats behind about being there at the begining of the day, especially once they get older. I want to hear about all their teachers, and stuff on the first day and did this for my oldest even when she was a senior in high school. Yes, I was there in the morning for the first day of kindergarten, but after that...I did not take off early. It's no wonder our budget is shot to hec because we continue to give free hours to people that should be using their own earned hours like the public sector..ugh...so frustrating.
Posted by sloopjohnbee on August 19, 2008 at 12:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Please! Murphy, Murphree, and Feltner: you guys would be the first to squawk about family values and complain because parents aren't involved enough in their children's schooling. And yet you vote against this policy? Hypocrites, I say! Walk the talk, gentlemen. And raise my taxes if you must to cover the cost of time off for County employees to attend the first day of school. It is a wise investment.
Posted by Brutus1 on August 19, 2008 at 1:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What the heck. I am paying my dollar to Dorchester County. Let them take it off but use there paid time off or there vacation time. Not a free time that I paid for.
Posted by Nonsense on August 19, 2008 at 3:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I work for the government, and I never received any time off to take my kids to school. That's one reason why there is so much gridlock - none of these kids are riding the bus and all these coddling mamas and daddies are driving their SUV's, minivans, and other gas guzzling vehicles, causing traffic nightmares, to take their kids to school when they should be riding the bus.
Posted by DoaMM on August 19, 2008 at 3:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
But Nonsense, don't you know the rules?
1. If you take your kid to school in your own vehicle, that means you're a caring, loving parent of the upper class.
2. If your kid rides the bus, you're a common peasant.
<smell that sarcasm...>
I guess my parents were peasants WAAAY back in the day. :)
Posted by iceman1978 on August 19, 2008 at 3:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Once you're old enough to have a drivers license you can drive yourself to school. At least that's what I did until I was homeschooled.