I understand that we need some sort of attendance policy because it’s important that students go to school and receive an education. That being said, the attendance policy currently in place has some notable errors.

Two unexcused absences result in a failure for the class and so do seven excused absences. For example, if you have an “A” in a class because you completed all the assignments and performed well on all the tests, but you also have two unexcused absences, then you actually fail the class you worked so hard in to receive an “A.” That just doesn’t add up. I think that as long as you complete your work and take all your tests/quizzes on time, your absences shouldn’t impact your grade.

Some could argue that school gives you more than just a letter grade. It gives you an opportunity to discuss a range of interesting topics with your teachers and classmates. I completely agree. However, the truth is on some days certain classes can be a waste of time. This is especially true toward the end of the year after AP exams. A lot of classes consist of movie watching, and sometimes just flat-out doing nothing. It’s on these days during those classes that attendance should not be mandatory. Instead of sitting around for a couple of hours doing nothing in school, students could be using their time more productively. Seniors are the ones most affected by this, as seniors generally take the most AP classes.

The solution to this problem isn’t easy. How do you keep kids in school while at the same time making the attendance policy less stringent? I certainly don’t know. I am merely pointing out the problems that exist in the hopes that they can be resolved.