19 Ryan Loop, Phenix City, AL 36869

I am honestly very upset and disappointed by this experience. My children were absent because my family was dealing with an emergency, and I marked the absence as a family emergency. I was then contacted by the school secretary and asked what the family emergency was. I understand that schools have attendance policies, but I feel there should also be some basic respect for a family’s privacy. If a parent says their children were absent because of a family emergency, it felt very intrusive to be asked to explain what that emergency was. Not every family situation is something a parent should have to discuss with the school just to explain an absence. What bothered me most was how uncomfortable and disrespectful the situation felt. When a family is already dealing with an emergency, having someone call and question you about your personal business is the last thing you need. There should be more compassion, professionalism, and understanding when dealing with parents. This experience has really changed how I feel about the communication between this school and families. I hope the school takes a closer look at how situations like this are handled, because parents deserve to feel respected and not like they have to explain their private family matters just to have an absence understood.