Cancelled Class

[therisingblues]

I have a question for the teachers that read this forum, or anyone who can shed some light.
I was talking with some Japanese people recently, and a seemingly recurring topic came up yet again.
In Japanese schools, if a third or more of a class is absent with the same sickness, then the entire class is cancelled for two days.
I cannot remember this ever happening while I was at school, nor can I remember ever hearing a story about it. My parents told me stories about this sort of thing, but they were raised in a time where you could die from a cough (whooping)! Which is a little different from my time as a kid.
Come to think of it, I can't even remember more than four or five kids being absent from my class at the same time, let alone the 9 or 10 necessary to trigger the cancelled class clause like they have in Japan.
Do they have this policy in Australia nowadays?
Does anyone remember their class getting cancelled because a lot of kids had the same sickness?

[Dogwatcher]

In some of classes I was in at primary school the kids suffered from the same illness - A.D.D

They never cancelled our classes

[Sploosh]

They do indeed cancel classes in Japan if a large number of kids are sick. In fact, I've known schools to cancel classes for entire year levels i.e. all the 5th graders (4 classes).

Can't see it ever happening in Adelaide, though. For one, most parents send their kids to school no matter how sick they are.

[zipzap]

I've never heard of that, though it's a good idea, especially when a bug goes around as it weirdly does in Adelaide from time to time (honestly, how many people have you heard have had gastro in the past few weeks?).

I have got really p*ssed off in class this term at a couple of kids (their parents actually) who came to school after several sick days, still full of snot and illness - when asked why they were at school and inflicting their crapulence on others it was because their parents had something on! I understand parents are busy but last time I checked I don't do child care and I don't really want to be taking a lurgy home to my pregnant wife and 2 y.o., not to mention the other kids and their families.

[therisingblues]

Thanks Zip Zap. I'll use your authority as a teacher to assure the Japanese that we definitely do not have that system in Australia.
The story I heard today described the second incident I have heard of in a month, and the third incident in a year. The two recent ones have been concerning influenza, but the earlier one was some exotic mix of diahorrea, fever and influenza, which I forget the name of.
I am still sort of amazed that so many kids are sick at the same time over here, let alone the fact that they have a procedure to deal with it.

Sploosh, I have also heard of the whole grade getting cancelled. One school not far from whre I live has that system.

[zipzap]

This thread has become painfully ironic having spent the weekend in bed with a fever and flu. Off sick today - rang work and the teacher who takes my class one day a week while I do IT stuff left early due to sickness too! Some little punk in my class...

[bulldogproud]

Yes, can confirm that Zipzap is right in saying that no such policy is present in Australia. In fact, both teachers and students tend to go to school whilst ill. I never want to take time off when teaching as you tend to feel that you are letting the side down, knowing that another teacher will have to use their free periods to take your classes. When I worked as an accountant two years ago, I found a very different approach. I went in to work when ill and was immediately sent home and told to stay there until I was better.
Cheers

[Squawk]

we need a policy like this in the workplace. Especially for public holidays