Our elementary campus had, for the most part, a majority of middle- to upper-middle-class homeowners, with some children from lower socioeconomic groups. (Schools are zoned this way on purpose.)
I had a student whose father identified as White Rapper with his failing musician business (mom’s educational job, ironically, paid the bills). They were homeowners in the subdivision but limped along. Their child was absent for a week before a long break. Her parents had emailed me asking for extra materials for [Child] to bring up her grade in one subject. I sent home a packet of materials, etc.
[Child] returned to school wearing a Disney jacket and boldly displaying her Disney swag art materials on her desk. Other students told me that she had bragged about going to Disney before she left.
Guess who ended up in truancy court? And then tried to throw me under the bus saying I knew they were going and so had condoned the absences? I won because I am meticulous about documentation.
I know some people feel strongly about “making memories”, etc., and saving money. Just don’t expect me to make up a week of in-person instruction or get your child to finish all of their graded assignments on time when they return. Some children can handle it, but very few.
Another family also chose to take a week at a resort, but the child made up the work easily and without their parents throwing me under the bus. Apparently, they and [Child] said to each other, “Hey, saw you in truancy court.”
The family paid in truancy fines whatever they saved on the trip.