School tells all parents their children are absent

[October 02, 2009]  MARTIN, Tenn. (AP) -- A student absence phone call that went to every family of students at a West Tennessee middle school caused an uproar.

The automated call is set to go out at 9 a.m. each day from Martin Middle School, but only to families whose children have been marked absent that day. Radio station WCMT in Martin reported the call on Wednesday went to parents of all 475 students at the school.

Principal Nate Holmes said about 20 people showed up at the school in response to it, but dozens of anxious parents called after receiving the message. The school quickly sent another call, saying there had been an error.

Holmes said the new phone system this year isn't as "user friendly" as the old one.

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Information from: WCMT-AM, http://www.wcmt.com/

[Associated Press]

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