follow up to my laws about separating post

Yesterday was the kindergarten registration and assessment for Kayci and Erick. At the end, you talk to the principal about your child. I asked what the policy was and she said she goes by the parent's wishes and if that seems to be a problem after school starts they'll call you in for a conference to discuss it. So, we're going to put them together for K and then revisit it every year to decide what is best for them. Personally, I'd love for them to stay together forever! I already have three other teachers and kids to keep up with assignments and field trips, to only have one for the twins would be great!

 

That sounds like great news!! :woo: I feel the same way! If it becomes a problem, by all means let's do what's best. Until that time, let's simplify our life!

 

That is great. Our principal will not let the girls be together in class.

 

That seems pretty harsh and closed minded for a principal. Are there any other schools close by that you can send your kids to? I believe that the school and parents have to work together to make the right choices for their kids and that could mean together one year and not the next. With this type of attitude from your principal you don't have that option. I am not sure I would be comfortable with that type of attitude. Just food for thought

 

Is it his/her choice? :unsure:

 

It could also be that he has had too many instances where parents demanded that their children be together, and refused to allow them to be separated when it was better for the children, teachers, and their classrooms. So, it became easier to make it a black/white situation. Our school used to have a teacher (she was Marcus' K teacher, but lost her job due to the budget last year) who has triplets and insisted on them being together, regardless of the fact that they were disruptive to the overall class, and would constantly fight and cause problems. In third grade, they finally "made" her split them up, and three very nice children emerged--who finally started to develop their own friends.

Just pointing out, that there may be more behind his decision than just "twins must be separated". It is much easier, to have one rule, than to have to constantly deal with "exceptions".

 

If you want your twins to be together, I think it is always important to understand the principal's position. Is it his/her decision? Does the school or school district have a "policy" or a "practice" -- very different! Understanding their position helps you to formulate a response -- if you want to pursue getting them together or not.

Best of Luck!

 

In Pennsylvania, its the parent's decision and no law prohibiting them from being in the same classroom. Twins are 2 individuals and I think they should be treating case by case. While some twin siblings can flourish academically and socially in the same room, it's not in the best interest for others.

This past year of k has gone GREAT with our fraternal boys in the same class. They are growing & I have loved being able to be homeroom mom to both of them. We went off of the recommendation of their preschool teacher in keeping them together. I requested a meeting with their K teacher next week to get her recommendation for 1st grade. From everything that she has said this school year, I think that we will be sending them together for 1st. We will take it year by year.

 

ktfan- I think you have a very reasonable attitude and I am glad things went well. I would not allow my kids to attend a school where it was up to the principal. I am the parent, I decide what works best. It is not, IMO, a black/white issue. Nothing with children is because each child is so very different.

 

The problem with this, is many parents are "blind" when it comes to their child and don't always know what is best. I can't even tell you how many times I have had a parent (I real life), refuse to either have their child evaluated or refused an IEP, simply because they didn't want their child "labeled". I mentioned before (not sure in this thread or not), the triplet mom who INSISTED on keeping her triplets together through 2nd grade even though they would only associate with each other and were very disruptive in class. In 3rd the school forced her to allow them to split them up, and people started to genuinely like the kids, and they suddenly found their own friends and an identity beyond being triplets (and yes, they are 2 girls and a boy).

Simply because you are the parent doesn't mean you will always make the best decision for your kids. Most would never intentionally make a bad decision, but those "parent goggles" do exist. If you doubt me, think of all the times you have witnessed a child do something, and then when the parent was told, their response was "my kid would never do that, your child MUST have caused it".

 

I am very happy we got to decide if we wanted Allie and Ashley together or split up. It would have bothered me if we were told we HAD to follow a blanket policy.

 

The girls were in pre-K together at the same school that they attend now because there was only one class at the time. I asked the teacher and aid before I made my request for them to be together for K. The teacher and aid both thought it would be fine. Even in pre-K they had their own friends, didn't sit together at lunch by their choice and they don't look alike.

When my request was denied, my DH called the Board of Education. They said each principal set their own guidelines. The funny thing is, most of the teachers in the school don't know this is the policy. When we were requesting teachers for 1st grade, I asked the health teacher(she used to be a 1st grade teacher) for her opinion she told me one teacher's name. When I told her I needed two, she asked me "why?". She had no idea that was the policy. I also talked to oldest DD's reading teacher (DD is friends with her daughter) and she had no idea about the policy.

The twins go to dance class with a set of identical twins that go to another school. They were automatically put in the same class.

I don't want to take them to another school. Overall we really like this school. I don't have a problem with them being separated (and they don't either), it just would be so much easier if they were together.