‘I’m sending my contagious kids to school; I value their education too much’

“In the meantime, I guess they will infect their teachers and classmates…”

A mum has been blasted online after confessing she sent her two children to school despite being run down with a rotten cold.

Mum-of-two, Rebecca*, was devastated when she realised both of her kids woke up with a “nasty cough”. 

Both of her children have chronic conditions, meaning they were having trouble breathing and clearly needed to recover. 

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Rebecca wants to send her sick kids to school because she "values education". Picture: iStock

Mum blasted for wanting to send sick kids to school

“I know that the best thing for them would be rest (and their inhalers),” she told Mumsnet. “I know they are clearly contagious.”

However, Rebecca thinks it would be better if her kids were out of bed and spent the day at school so they don’t have an absence marked against their name.

RELATED: Parents slammed for taking toddler with fever on long-haul flight

“As I understand, I would need a doctor's note or it would be [an] unauthorised absence?” she asked the community. 

You may be thinking: Why not just get a doctor’s certificate?

“It doesn't seem right to waste a stretched doctor’s time with this when they don't need anything prescribing,” Rebecca answered. 

What you need to know about the virus making all our kids sick right now. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode.

In the meantime, she believes she has no other choice but to ship her sick and “clearly contagious” offspring to school.

“I guess I send them into school and wait for school to send them home,” she said. “In the meantime, they will infect their teachers and classmates?”

In Australia, your child can still attend school if they have a common cold or mild cough. However, they should stay at home and see a GP if they’re presenting cold or flu symptoms or have a fever, a rash, diarrhoea or vomiting. 

While rules may vary from state to state, students are required to attend at least 90 per cent of school every term. 

According to Education NSW, parents or guardians are also required to provide an explanation if their child is absent for two days. Parents must also provide a doctor’s certificate if they are absent from school for three or more days. 

In Rebecca’s case, she’s worried that her children “will need quite a number of days off in the year” due to their chronic illness, so taking time off to recover from their “nasty cough” would be less than ideal. 

Because they’re likely to have a few more days off during the school year, Rebecca said she’d rather keep her kids out of bed so they don’t miss anything important. “I value education,” she said. “I value it to the point I paid for tutors during the pandemic when their primary school just vanished.”

Her kids are big fans of being in the classroom, too. 

“They love learning and hate missing school,” she added. “And would happily do work at home when ill if teachers sent them some.” 

RELATED: Coughing for weeks: Why won't the doctor give us anything for this flu?

“Please don't send your ill children to school to infect my children”

The thought of sending a sick kid off to school horrified other parents, who recommended Rebecca leave her contagious kids at home until they felt better. 

“Of course it’s not a good idea. It’s mean and incredibly crappy,” a mum wrote. “Keep them home, call the school and explain.” 

“Keep them at home,” another agreed. “They are ill and need looking after.”

"You’re the parent," wrote a third. "Do what is best for your children." 

Others begged Rebecca to think about the other kids in class. “Please don't send your ill children to school to infect my children,” a parent wrote. 

“As a parent of a vulnerable child that relies on the goodwill and compassion of others not to send their child in when they are clearly unwell, please don't send them in,” a mother shared.

“A simple cold for most turns into pneumonia and a hospital stay for my child.”

*Names have been changed

Originally published as ‘I’m sending my contagious kids to school; I value their education too much’