Lawrence County School System in Tennessee will no longer accept doctor’s for a sick child’s absence, and is prepared to take families to court, reports WSMV:
Under the Lawrence County School System’s new attendance policy, doctor’s notes will no longer excuse an absence. Students will now just be marked absent or present.
The policy states that after three absences, schools will start intervention. If the student keeps missing school, eight or more days, there will be a juvenile court referral.
“You can fail the grade,” Director of Schools Michael Adkins said during the district’s June school board meeting. “You can fail the course. You are going to be petitioned to court. You are not going to participate in graduation, get your driver’s license or permit.”
Adkins also said during the meeting, “We are going to take control of the attendance of our students. You can bring all the doctor’s notes you want, but it is still unexcused”…
“If you have the sniffles, that is fine,” Adkins said during the meeting. “You are going to have them when you go to work one day. We have all gone to work sick and hurt and beat up.”
The district sent a letter last week to local medical providers asking them to “emphasize the importance of regular school attendance while treating school-aged patients.” The letter went on to say that “medical notes excusing students for two or more days can unintentionally imply the students should remain home even after their health improves.”
If a child goes to school sick and the school nurse sends that child home, Adkins said that will be marked as tardy.
In a bizarre contradiction, the policy does allow absences for “verified chronic illnesses.”
(Source: WSMV)