I think my kids school lied about calling CPS rather than calling my husband to pick her up

r/

Our daughter (7) started school last month. I told the front office under no circumstance should they call me if something happens to her, especially Wednesday Thursday or Friday. I work, and I am not allowed to have my phone on my person while working. They were told explicitly to call her father, who works overnight but is home all day as a result.

I get to my lunch break today, and what do I find but SIXTEEN missed calls from the school.

I assume she’s been hospitalized or there’s been an active shooter. Something horrible that warrants sixteen calls to the parent they were told not to call.

I call the school frantically before even looking at my voice mail and find that they called me because she threw up.

Threw up.

Blood?

Nope. Regular throw up.

But because I didn’t answer this woman considered it ‘abandonment’ and made a call to CPS.

I asked if they’d called my husband. Nope. Just me! And I didn’t answer, which isn’t allowed.

I called him and he went to pick her up. There was a woman sitting with her in the nurses office who was also there during orientation night, but she wasn’t our kids teacher or administration so we didn’t get introduced to her.

As soon as my husband got there she scurried off, and when he asked the woman at the front desk who she was she reiterated that she had ‘called someone about your wife abandoning your daughter’. And told him if it happened again it would be a lot more serious, and we should consider making sure moms always there when her kid needs her.

There is no fucking way that a CPS agent is just hanging around this school at all times, and didn’t bother to stick around to lecture a parent who ‘abandoned’ their kid when they showed up.

I think they lied because they don’t like that dad is supposed to be their primary point of contact.

I’m going to follow up with the principal when I’ve calmed down of course, but what the actual fuck.

Comments

  1. frustratedDIL Avatar

    Make sure it’s well documented. They need to follow the communication orders you give them. They don’t get to decide that the mother must answer. I’d threaten a lawsuit if they continue this behavior and make false CPS reports.

  2. Least_Profession3082 Avatar

    Is it documented that you are unavailable for those three days, or is dad listed as the primary contact? 

  3. Intelligent_Type_978 Avatar

    Refusing to call the other parent because she didn’t want to should be grounds for termination.
    Calling CPS, claiming abandonment was a lie and that should also result in termination.
    As a mother, I won’t judge you if you end up cussing her tf out!

  4. asuddenpie Avatar

    They called CPS because they couldn’t reach you? That’s crazy!

  5. MedicalExamination65 Avatar

    And if the principal doesn’t correct it to your liking, go right to the school board. Because yeah, wtf?

  6. hiddenkobolds Avatar

    Oh HELL no. Your child has TWO parents. They have to be unable to reach both parents to claim abandonment, not just unwilling to call dad because misogyny.

    “Mom should be available”? What year is it?? And this after you left clear, specific instructions.

    Absolutely make that complaint. You’re right, and this is ludicrous.

  7. casanochick Avatar

    CPS will provide you with a letter to document the investigation, and then another letter to confirm that it was founded or if no evidence was found. You can call CPS and ask them to confirm if you’re being investigated. If the school didn’t exhaust all means of contact, CPS is waaaay too overburdened to send someone to investigate this. Sounds like bullshit to scare you.

  8. JustCoffee123 Avatar

    I doubt COS would even respond if they did call them. It’s not child abuse to have a different person then mom as a primary contact. They also did not contact anyone else on the child’s list of adults. Even if they did call, it would get thrown out. The school would be the ones to get a talking to because that’s a huge waste of resources when there are actual abuse cases they should be handling.

  9. Taodragons Avatar

    He should threaten to go to the school board for their sexist attitude. He doesn’t have to do it. Just be a dick about it, so next time, they remember. It’s a game.

  10. bajanbeautykatie Avatar

    This is not what CPS is for. If you don’t mind I can channel all of my inner Karen skills and write a dramatic letter and complaint on your behalf

  11. bippityboppitynope Avatar

    File a formal complaint with the school district. Threaten legal action.

  12. CuriousPenguinSocks Avatar

    I would make sure it’s in the school file and escalate this straight to the superintendent.

    The fact they didn’t call the dad and are making a point to say a working mom abandoned her kid is gross, and I would not let this go.

    Heads would roll.

  13. 20-20-24hoursago Avatar

    This sounds like some Handmaid’s Tale fuckery, like are we in Gilead now? Damn.

  14. Solid_Ad7292 Avatar

    As a teacher at my school we call contact number 1 and then 2 and so on and so forth. They have a little check on our paperwork that says which emergency contact we call. This school screwed up big time.

  15. Charming_Garbage_161 Avatar

    I’d email the principle, assistant principle and their social services staff regarding the incident. What happened and state you want it in writing that they follow the procedures properly for who to call. If they need an in person meeting then so be it, go and record it

  16. LLCNYC Avatar
  17. R3dPirate Avatar

    The principal may know this happen and allowed it. Go directly to the school board and file a complaint.

  18. eponymous-octopus Avatar

    Force them to delete your phone number from all of your child’s records and only have your husband’s phone number. Schools are wildly sexist if you allow them to have both contacts.

  19. CarryOk3080 Avatar

    Go to the superintendent of the school district. Don’t even play around here. Call that motherfucking superintendent and get his ass to that school and rake everyone over the coals. I would have whoever’s job that called CPS instead of her father. I would give them exactly 1 hour to have that person’s resignation in your hand or you will go to the news and they will run this story hard. Be the bitch your child needs you to be.

  20. Pridyshidy Avatar

    Updateme this is weird behavior for a school

  21. Green_Plan4291 Avatar

    This is absolute BS. I’d go to the principal and higher.

  22. Short-Ad-3934 Avatar

    Call your service provider and get the call logs as proof they didn’t even attempt to call him. You can screen shot your calls all day long, but the truth is you can delete missed calls from your recent calls. Bring it up with her boss this is ridiculous and a false claim.

  23. InfamousCup7097 Avatar

    This is more than just a talking to the principal situation. Contact the school board. Raise hell on social media. Get a lawyer involved. This is insane behavior from the school.

  24. bunnycat77 Avatar

    That school is wrong. As a school nurse, we make notes in red at the top of the students’ online chart if there are special instructions like this. Even if they’re weren’t, you call the first number, lea e a message, no respo se withing 5 mins you go down the list until you co tact someone. Yesterday, I couldn’t find a parent for a student with a minor concussion. Stayed in my office with me. He threw up a couple of times. Eventually, we just had our campus security officer pop over to the parents’ home. They were shocked. Phone never rang, supposedly. Immediately picked up the student to go to urgent care. Calling cps for abandonment is ridiculous in this case. I’d make a complaint up the chain o er the school.

  25. Desperate_Chip_343 Avatar

    Wth lol crazy that they reacted like this. When my son started school, they would call him instead of me. They would also call me, and i didn’t pick up they would call him…. what in the name…

  26. Substantial_Shoe_360 Avatar

    My son gets this treatment at the doctor’s office, and the mom’s in the waiting room give him the evil eye. It’s disgusting, please file a report with the school board and get an attorney.

  27. Buttwaffle45 Avatar

    I would start with the principal but work your way up if it doesn’t go anywhere. This is pretty crazy I would have been yelling demanding to know why it was better to call cps vs heaven forbid someone with a penis. What a worthless person. Maybe you don’t have any other options but I wouldn’t even want my kid in that school. I would have loved to talk to cps though but I’m just weird like that I would want them to see how incompetent the school is.

  28. xanif Avatar

    >And told him if it happened again it would be a lot more serious, and we should consider making sure moms always there when her kid needs her.

    It’s a good thing your husband is more level headed than I am. My response to that would be “If this happens again, the settlement from the lawsuit I drop on this school’s administration’s head will pay for her college.”

  29. mindgame_26 Avatar

    Call CPS and ask if they were contacted. If they weren’t… they get real upset about that shit.

    Had a woman call the police because we left our 8 year old with a 16 year old babysitter. He filed a report with CPS.

    The case worker came out, talked to us, talked to the kid alone for a few minutes, walked next door and talked to the babysitter, talked to the woman who made the call… Came back and said “I’m going to walk you through the process of filing a complaint against the officer. He knowingly falsified a police report.”

    He got a two week paid vacation. 😑

    Hopefully a school system would be a bit more harsh.

  30. punkwalrus Avatar

    I went through this. My wife was “the bad parent” from the school’s point of view, because she worked from home, and could show up within 5 minutes. And had done so many times because this middle school would call the ambulance for everything. My wife didn’t take shit, and already we had an uphill battle because our son wasn’t allowed to have his inhaler with him, so when he had an asthma attack, he had to get a permissions slip, then an escort to the office, and then the nurse had to unlock the closet with the medication, etc etc etc. So by the time my son got his medication, his asthma was pretty bad having been run around for 15 minutes. So the nurse just called the ambulance. The ambulance was at the school 4-5 times a week for various student issues, because the nurse was this nervous, skittish person terrified to make decisions on her own. So when my wife showed up one day, and chewed them out for letting our son’s asthma get this bad, AGAIN, they called the cops on her.

    She was not arrested, the cops actually sided with my wife, which freaked the school out. So they’d call me, and I worked nearly two hours away. So I’d call my wife, and she showed up. They didn’t like that, either. Finally, they called CPS because they’d call nobody, said nobody answered, and CPS sided with us as well.

    “Why won’t you let the kid have his asthma medication?” was commonly asked.

    It was lunacy. Thank god I only had two years of that.

  31. Geraltsgal Avatar

    I work for CPS, if it had been a real report they would have had to interview you and your husband, I think your instinct is right.

  32. shadowsipp Avatar

    I’d say if you can, speak with your kids teacher, and possibly introduce yourself to the nurse, so they’ll know your situation. The office people probably should remember you now, but they’ve already unfairly judged you. (And they won’t know kids as personally as the teacher and potentially the nurse)

    If the nurse and teacher already know that it’s fine for the father to be contacted and pick-up, then it’s a duty of atleast the teacher to remember/be familiar of your family life. Speaking with them through email is also smart, because your discussions have a trail.

    Most schools also have a list of adults that are allowed to pick up kids/an emergency contact list and it should be referenced when the kids parents need contacted

  33. SomniKei Avatar

    I agree, they made a mountain out of a valley. Why was that disregarded completely? Why the unhealthy sounding focus on mom specifically? That was stressful sounding AF.

  34. user9372889 Avatar

    Wtf do they do when a kid has 2 dads?

  35. Large_Imagination_13 Avatar

    Definitely document, take the voicemails to the principal and if they don’t do anything, go up the chain. I’d also look into your options for potentially suing

  36. koval713 Avatar

    Hi, I work in a school. What state are you in? It matters.

  37. zunzarella Avatar

    This is insane, and I’m not one to jump to lawyers, but they called CPS before they called dad? I might be getting a lawyer.

  38. cottoncandymandy Avatar

    This is some handmaids tale bullshit. Why do you~ mom ~have to be the only one available? I’d throw a fit tbh.

  39. Ginger_Libra Avatar

    There are not enough posts here telling you to escalate this and nip it in the bud right now.

    Email the principal right now and document this. If the resolution isn’t satisfactory, straight to the superintendent and the school board.

  40. Sensitive-Quiet2241 Avatar

    I saw this exact scenario posted a long time ago via George Takei’s Facebook Page

  41. a55_Goblin420 Avatar

    honestly at that point I’d consider suing.

  42. prosperosniece Avatar

    File a complaint with the school board. The hard truth is that parents work and are not always able to get to their phones. That’s WHY there’s alternative numbers on the checkout form.

  43. junglegymion Avatar

    I think it’s ludacris to call the first parent listed more than once or twice before the 2nd and then emergency contact. My kids teacher called my husband first once (even tho I had myself listed as first caller) bc I had just had a baby and she didn’t want to risk waking me or the baby which was thoughtful but he didn’t answer so she called me right afterwards.

    Speak to the principal or superintendent and find out how you can better document who should be called (even thought this feels like it should be common sense to call the next number if no reply)

  44. SnooWords4839 Avatar

    Send an email; to the principal outlining what happened. Tell them, this isn’t abandonment, the nurse failed to follow clear instructions. Tomorrow, hubby needs to go into the office and raise hell.

    The nurse doesn’t get to just call the mom; nurse was way out of line.

    If the principal doesn’t deal with this, take it to the school board. It helps to raise hell with the school; we had to a couple of times.

  45. mandatorypanda9317 Avatar

    Please update when you talk to the principal. I’m a parent myself and would be fucking livid omg.

  46. Infinite-Floor-5091 Avatar

    I’d email the principal, put it in writing the neglect to their duties. Along the lines of;

    Neglect. Due to not reading the file properly and promptly calling primary caregiver in this situation.

    Sexist comments and discrimination

    Trauma caused to you and your daughter through their actions

    Let them know you will go to the school board if such a horrendous and thoughtless action happens again. Point out this has you severely doubting their ability to reach her parents in a genuine emergency.

    My favourite go to is to look up the schools legal responsibilities in that particular area to make sure I use allll the key words.

  47. Next-Bodybuilder-117 Avatar

    Wow!! My heart would sink and I would want to puke if I got threatened with cps over something so avoidable!!! I’m happy u are calming down before u speak to the principal. It will help u better get your point across. Honestly with that worker still there and now u got a target on you, I wouldn’t feel safe with my child going there. Anytime she calls you, she can threaten you. What a vile human being! To even think of that threat to a seemingly great family. Trust me there are times they should be called, over this no way. I’m a single mom, they would call my sisters and my mother if I didn’t answer, and this lady wouldn’t even try calling your child’s father??!! She is dangerous because she is unpredictable.

  48. Nerakus Avatar

    Go after her job. Keep raising hell till she is fired

  49. latitudesixtysix Avatar

    Document and complain up-line within the district. Totally unacceptable

  50. midwestgal522 Avatar

    Absolute BS and I’d report it to the school board.

    They do have those workers at some schools tho, or have them on speed dial because my son came home in kindergarten and told me Miss Lisa was asking about his bedroom and who lives at our house and a bunch of other weird stuff that seemed strange…

    So I called the school……turns out they called CPS who was getting my home set up for visits because he missed 5 days of school…….consecutive…….when he was in the dam hospital for Scarlet Fever which I not only reported daily from ICU BUT TURNED IN PAPERWORK for!!!

    I was LIVID and went right up to the school the next day and demanded to see the Miss Lisa and the principal and they apologized and said the admin forgot to update the computer…….I called every day mind you so she had a weeks worth of updates!

    They took him off whatever list he was on and I told
    Them to never approach my child without calling me first but UGH!

  51. kaiser_charles_viii Avatar

    This is so wild to me. I’m a teacher, where I am parents are listed in the order in our system that they filled out the paperwork aka primary parent, secondary parent, emergency contact. Whenever I need to reach a parent via phone (which is rare in the days of instant digital communication since im not the one who calls when a kid needs to be picked up or w/e) I always either call the parent that requested the call or call the primary parent first. Why would I call the secondary parent if I hadn’t tried the primary one yet? I’ll only call the secondary parent if 1) the primary parent doesnt pick up/doesnt have a listed number or 2) the primary parent mentions during our call that the child isnt with them today and/or that I should call the other parent and speak to them as well. Also so many of our parents are constantly working (and unable to leave work at the drop of a hat) that I dont think (or at least I hope it wouldnt) it would be the natural response of any of our staff to call CPS because the secondary parent didnt pick up without having tried any other point of contact.

    Also OP, the woman your husband saw next to your child in the office was likely a school social worker. Many schools have dedicated social workers these days to help address the needs of the school, families, and students. The school I work at has multiple social workers on staff at any given time.

  52. kccustom Avatar

    Why do they have your number then?

  53. simplymandee Avatar

    Nah. Don’t follow up with the principal. Take it to the board of trustees. This is insane.

  54. blinkingbaby Avatar

    Schools do NOT like it when dad is the primary contact point. It is INSANE. “Ohhh dads need to be involved blah blah blah!” (But don’t call dad, their jobs are too important. Specifically call mom who said under no circumstances are you to call her first.)

  55. Bansidhe13 Avatar

    I would be talking to the school board.

  56. Hopeful-Education843 Avatar

    So they want us to work full time to support our kids but when we do, knowing most people cannot answer the phone at work.. we will have cps called? F the matrix I’m done working forever

  57. porcelainthunders Avatar

    Good GOD I got pissed for you!!!
    Lord that ruffled my feathers

    Why the fuck js the note where you EXPLICITLY told them” Do. Not. Fucking. Call at xyz times” what in the absolute fuck??

    I’d definitely go to the principal about this. Is there an issue that these bitches cannot call your husband like it SAYS in the file!!

    I would ask how incompetent they are if the cannot read, understand and follow through something as simple as…”see this number? Do NOT call at these times. Call this one instead “

    Oooh I could go on, because j am downright irate! But ill go ahead and just …walk it off 🤗🤭

    Seriously though, well again WHAT THE FUCK, but…argh!! What if IT HAD been serious. Instead of calling kids father to come down for a real emergency, yea. Call mom. 16 times. I always say, if by the 10th time it hasnt happened, you’re not trying hard enough. Persever.
    . Calling over a d over when you know no one will pick up (forgive my assumption, they don’t seem too bright) but DEFINITELY if OP isn’t picking up? Try again dammit!! 🙄 /s

  58. Mo-Champion-5013 Avatar

    We had a missed connection for pick up the other day. The school tried one parent a couple of times and then called the next name on the list. That’s why they have three!! The school screwed up. Document and be LOUD about what they are supposed to do in any emergency situation. It’s not like they only have one name and number.

  59. teatimecookie Avatar

    Same thing happened to me, without the CPS part. I work in radiology. My department is lead lined. I don’t get cell service. Her dad is listed as the #1 contact with an explanation. I still had about 8 missed calls & multiple emails. He went to pick her up (fever & vomiting) & chewed them out. We live in a super liberal, west coast city. It’s crazy this still happens.

  60. frank_1977 Avatar

    skip the principal. go to the district first and raise hell.

  61. shitposts_over_9000 Avatar

    I have zero disagreement with your stance on this, but a single contact number and CPS on-hand is pretty much SOP at the school district my son attends.

    I would treat the situation as if the school is telling the truth and follow up with CPS. If CPS was notified there is a conversation to be had. If CPS has no record of being contacted then there is a very different conversation to be had.

  62. unotwizzler Avatar

    I don’t know what it is. It’s like they see a feminine name and think, that’s who I should call. I got called, as first contact, for my step child a couple of times and had to tell them that they should probably try his parents first ( not that I wouldn’t have figured it out if they couldn’t be reached, but they hadn’t even tried).

    My husband has always been listed as first contact for our child. Who gets the first call? Me! He has always had a much more flexible schedule and have made that very clear. This seems extra extra though, calling you sixteen times without looking for other contact information is ridiculous. Sounds like someone with a giant judgemental stick up their ass and I would raise hell over it.

  63. rbnrthwll Avatar

    What if it’s a gay couple? Two guys? Which MOM should always be there when her kid needs her? Did this person grow up in 1940? Are they aware of gender equality?

    I’d go to school board. Neglecting the Parents Orders, Harassment(16 calls), Gender Discrimination, Making Threatening Statements, and (borderline) Criminal Mischief.

    That should be enough for the School Board to worry about a potential lawsuit.

  64. Innerouterself2 Avatar

    Yeah talking to the principal and even higher admin would be the thing to do. Especially as this front desk person doesn’t get to decide who gets communicated to. You have to follow the communication plan.

    Might be time to get your kid an emergency phone they keep off in their backpack. Kid can just call dad if the office is being stupid

  65. kbd18 Avatar

    I would follow up with the principal first via email and A) ask for the CPS case number or contact information because you were threatened that they called CPS. B) reiterate that DAD must be the point of contact because you do not have your phone physically on you so you will not receive phone calls. C) tell the principal you find it highly inappropriate that the women at the front desk desk to tell your husband that you need to make sure mom is always there when her kid needs her because that is mom shaming you because you have to pay bills and have a career? You’ve already informed them dad is the point of contact. And D) tell him you would like to schedule an in person meeting or phone call to discuss this matter.

    This way everything is IN WRITING in case you need it but also you can have a meeting with the principal to discuss this issue.

  66. Far-Dare-6458 Avatar

    Switch your phone numbers on the school paperwork if they’re so adamant about calling mom. It’s crazy that in this day and age, schools still insist on calling mom, even when told not to.

  67. Either_Coconut Avatar

    It’s disgraceful that they couldn’t even follow simple instructions to call your husband first.

    See if you can have your number deleted entirely from the call list. Let your husband’s number be the ONLY point of contact during the school day.

    Edit to add: I have a serious question. Do you live in an area, or is this a school system, where the prevailing culture is that there are gender roles that Must Be Followed? Because if they are THAT resistant to the simple instruction of, “Call the child’s father in case of emergency”, it makes me wonder if something else is going on. If this is the culture of the school’s administration, either they need to update their brains’ software to the 21st century, or finding a new school needs to be on the to-do list.

  68. amanda10271 Avatar

    You need to contact the superintendent and ask for a meeting. That’s ridiculous.

  69. Skinnysusan Avatar

    Yeah this is a straight to the administration thing. If you’re not satisfied then social media. What the actual fuck

  70. Greennooblet Avatar

    Just change “your” number to your husbands, and wish you could see the lady’s head explode when a dude answers.

  71. meganmayhem3 Avatar

    Get yourself a lawyer who is familiar with fighting CPS. This school is going to give you trouble moving forward. Have that lawyer on speed dial.

  72. Jimmymylifeup Avatar

    i had a coworker that would have to deal with this bs damn near constantly. the school would basically harass her until she was able to go pick up her ‘sick’ kid. one time i finally asked her why she didnt just leave the kid there and she said she cant bc its school policy to call cps. absolutely insane to me. they are in the place theyre supposed to be for the day the parents know where they are there is literally a nurses office. absolutely unrealistic to expect any parent to leave work at the drop of a hat for a non emergency. was not like this when i was in school which was not long ago.

  73. schmookumface Avatar

    Super funny. My kid threw up at school today. They called me, I didn’t answer as I was at work and I didn’t recognize the phone number, the caller id didn’t come up as the school district when it normally does. A few minutes later I get a call from my husband, who was also at work but answers his phone when numbers he doesn’t recognize pop up. Anyway, he told me our child threw up and asked if I was able to go and get him. I don’t even have him as a secondary contact, it’s just what the school did. I find it very strange that they would call you 16 (!!!!) times before even thinking of calling your husband or a secondary contact. Or emergency contacts that I am sure are on record.

    Calling CPS after calling only one phone number on the child’s paperwork is sooooo strange to me.

    I’m sorry that this has happened.

  74. Megaaanfrost Avatar

    Follow up with an email to the principal asking for clarification so that you have documentation just in case

  75. Emotional_Builder_24 Avatar

    If be going to the district about this. This is ridiculous.

  76. maybach320 Avatar

    With thinking like that I’m surprised they even think women can drive.

  77. ACM915 Avatar

    You need to take this to the superintendent of schools because this could have had seriously bad consequences for you and your family. You need to push against this type of misogynistic bullshit as hard as you can.

  78. rocketmanatee Avatar

    Oh hell no. I’d be following up with the principal for the CPS case number, date, time, and content of that call. When they finally admit that she lied outright about calling CPS I’d demand she be fired.
    I’d bring a lawyer to the meeting with the school and I’d notify the superintendent of this also.

    Her conduct is insane, and highly damaging.

  79. witchofwestthird Avatar

    I’d document the shit out of this and make sure administration (like the superintendent) is aware. This is a lawsuit waiting to happen, and if that employee does this, they’re a full on liability to the district.

  80. Puzzled_Living7919 Avatar

    Hi- CPS here, I would call the hotline and ask if someone called. They won’t tell you who but maybe they’ll tell you if there was a call. If there wasn’t- I would immediately report them to law enforcement and even contact the Area Administrator of DCYF or whatever they call the CPS dept in your state and let them know as well as the school district

  81. Mad-cat1865 Avatar

    My wife was a field worker for our state’s CPS. It’s always possible she would’ve been called, but any competent Social Worker would’ve followed up with any instructions the school was left and had them follow through with that.

    Someone dropped the ball at the school, and you should follow through and make sure they do what they’re supposed to do.

  82. thewritingwand Avatar

    This is stupid. I live 5 minutes from my niece’s school. My sister and BIL work an hour from the school.

    If something happens and niece needs picked up, the school ONLY calls the parents to ask if they’re doing pickup or me.

    That’s it. It’s not hard. I would file a complaint.

  83. Apprehensive-Ad-4364 Avatar

    I’m really hoping for a scorched earth update because that’s crazy

  84. Bunbunnbaby Avatar

    CPS would laugh in their face they have other emergency contacts they didn’t not call and wanted to state abandonment. CPS would hear they tried one parent the working parent during the day and ask the same question “Did you call dad? Did you call x,y,z listed as emergency contacts other than the parents?”

  85. RamblingswithInoki Avatar

    My behind would be in the office demanding the principal, superintendent and school board meet with me! I would also get a note from your employer that phones are not allowed while working, and give a copy to the school with written instructions on who to call and put it in your child’s records for future reference!

    Then I would demand the person who either lied or called CPS to be fired! This momma doesn’t play those CPS games!!

  86. sleepyplatipus Avatar

    I’m so pissed off on your behalf, I hope you’ll get people fired. What the hell… please update us!!!

  87. DaenyTheUnburnt Avatar

    Sorry this happened to you.

    I work for CPS and want to provide some context.

    First- anyone can call CPS anytime for any suspicion of child abuse or neglect. This is intentional, because a safe and secure method of reporting must be in effect.

    Second- the majority of our calls are from schools. And mandated reporters at schools often don’t have a clue as to what is or is not actionable abuse or neglect per your state’s statute. Mandated reporter training is extremely minimal, usually just a quick online video. It’s not uncommon for a school to over report things that are not going to be accepted for investigation and under report things that would be considered for investigation. But still, we would rather have the calls than not and are grateful to teachers and other school officials who make these calls. It is not their job to decide what is or isn’t abuse and neglect, it is their job to report any suspicion of abuse and neglect, and it is a CPS worker’s job, who has been trained in abuse and neglect investigations to investigate and make a determination.

    Third- less than a third of hotlines that are called into the state are accepted for investigation. Many calls are screened out immediately at the state level because they are frivolous or do not contain enough information to figure out who the hotline is about.

    Fourth- if this did happen just as you reported it here, rest assured that there will be no conflict with CPS. If your state office determines that the hotline requires investigation it will be assigned as a non-emergency hotline to a local worker. They will need to contact you to get your side of the story, assure safety of the children, and then close the case. You’ll get a letter in the mail stating that the case is closed a few weeks/months later. We have a lot of serious problems to deal with, we don’t have the time or energy to get sucked into petty reports.

  88. gogo_gardener Avatar

    This school’s reaction to the mom not coming in is bonkers. This is the 21st century and parents work and either one can be the stay at home parent. My guess is the secretary is old and stuck in her mindset of the housewife. The school reacted appallingly and you should absolutely bring it to the principal or the district. Ask for documentation of what happened and what was done – you’re entitled to it. If it was done by the health aide or the nurse, there will be documentation that you can see. Either way, there should be some retraining for the staff at the bare minimum, or better work systems to prevent this from happening. They raised the stakes by bringing in CPS, you hold them accountable.

  89. MrsTickleMeElmo Avatar

    There are always multiple contacts on an emergency card. They are supposed to contact each of them, especially the PRIMARY contact. You should report this to your school district.

  90. Fire_Woman Avatar

    SEXIST AF I would be livid

  91. blushandfloss Avatar

    Is this monster from Stepford, Connecticut?

    Anyway—

    Dear Mr./Ms. Superintendent,

    Recently, when my daughter fell ill at Weird Staff Campus, the school made multiple (16) attempts to reach me. This led to delays in her comfort and recovery and required me to use my limited break time to call my husband who was available and specifically designated as first contact. Although he immediately went to pick her up, that happened 1 hour and 16 minutes after my daughter needed him.

    Even more concerningly, I was admonished for being unavailable, told I had been reported to Child Protective Services, and threatened with worse if I continue my cellphone-restricted job. It’s unclear what “worse” means and I have not yet confirmed whether CPS was erroneously contacted, but if so, I may have to take appropriate action to protect my reputation and livelihood from the outdated and harmful opinions of your staff.

    I have reviewed the district’s communication policies, followed all proper procedures to prevent this travesty, and could not find any information on suggesting and/or forcing parents to restructure their lives to fit sexist gender roles. To prevent a recurrence, I request again that my husband, Magic Mike, be contacted first at 818.ITS.2025 and that the school not weaponize the Department of CPS wasting taxpayer-funded resources. However, if school protocols and parental rights have changed, I’d suggest a district-wide memo so other working moms won’t make the same “mistake.”

    I am grateful for the education and attention given to my child, but I ask that my employment and motherhood are not jeopardized or threatened. We can assure you that my husband’s wang does not restrict him from answering his phone or fulfilling his parental responsibilities, and my lack of a wang doesn’t limit me to parental responsibilities only.

    Thank you for your attention to this matter.

    Regretful regards,
    Mrs. Mike
    818.WRKN.MOM