Change the Attendance

Shae Bedilion

More stories from Shae Bedilion

Summer Activity
June 20, 2016

If I could change something about my school, I would change the strict attendance policy. Students are expected to miss ten days of school nowadays without a doctor’s excuse, which is not nearly enough for somebody who has come down with something lengthy, painful, rough, and so forth. For example, an average cold lasts about three days before it clears up. However, that is the average, roughly. Some students may have a cold for a day, but it is rough, or some could have it for three days, but it is not as bad.

What worsens the situation is the fact that the odds of the student being out of days is now even higher as well, which would mean that they could come to school, still being contagious of their illness. Since the sickness, or illness for that matter, would then be spread around, it can increase the likelihood of other students losing their days.

Also, as stated earlier, if the sickness is not that bad, it could be lengthy. Going to the doctor’s with a small flu will not always guarantee a slip, thus creating a waste of money. If, for example, the student gave their sickness to another student while they are at school, it could give them a different effect than what they had. Not every student is as immune to one sickness as another.

Overall, I feel that the limit of days to be missed should be extended, or that a parent’s note could count as a doctor’s slip under certain conditions.