By John Q. Hosedrinker 
The Lawrence County School System in Tennessee has implemented a new attendance policy that does not accept doctor’s notes for absences, aiming to instill a strong work ethic in students. Under this policy, all absences are considered unexcused, with exemptions only for specific circumstances like family deaths or religious observances. The policy emphasizes the importance of attendance for student achievement and future financial success, even as childhood illnesses rise. Students with chronic absenteeism will automatically fail subjects, reflecting the district’s commitment to controlling student attendance.
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Tennessee district bans doctor’s notes to exempt kids from school, and the immediate reaction, understandably, is a mix of bewilderment and frustration. It’s almost as if someone forgot we just lived through a pandemic. The logic seems to be, “Let’s prepare these kids for the harsh realities of the workplace!” where doctor’s notes are supposedly dismissed. But seriously, these are children. They get sick. Encouraging them to attend school when they’re ill is a recipe for spreading illnesses, not a lesson in grit.
This policy, in tandem with a concerning rise in unvaccinated children in the South, sounds like an impending public health crisis. It’s not rocket science – sick kids at school spread germs. We’ve all experienced that flu or fever that kept us home, and frankly, perfect attendance shouldn’t be the primary measure of a student’s worth. Some folks even argue we should trust parents and kids more, reducing the bureaucratic burden on doctors who are already overwhelmed.
Some of us are asking: why are lawmakers even wasting time with such policies, especially considering the lessons we should have learned during the pandemic? Shouldn’t we be encouraging sick days to prevent illness from spreading in the first place? But alas, it appears that in some places, the priority is not health but something else entirely.
The potential consequences of this kind of policy are real. There’s talk of this policy being a precursor to disease outbreaks, especially with a lack of understanding around vaccine hesitancy. Sick kids, now, can’t even have their absence verified. What’s to be done? Homeschooling might be the answer. Cyber schooling may work. When faced with decisions like these, we have to remember that our tax dollars follow the child.
Some of us, with experience from other countries like Canada, remember a more common-sense approach. Absences were excused with a parent’s say-so. There were conversations, of course, if absences became excessive. But the overreach of this new Tennessee policy seems obvious, with parents likely to tell the schools to essentially pound sand.
But wait, there’s more. It appears there’s an undercurrent of something else going on here. There’s mention of a focus on control and power, where the school board is not about education. Rather, they want full control of your household. Combine this with the decline in ethical awareness. Some even say that the primary goal seems to be to train the “future underclass” to work themselves into an early grave.
The situation is even worse when the underlying political motivations come into play. The potential for schools to become an instrument of control is very real. Some worry about the rights of the children, teachers, and community overall.
This move also raises concerns about public health and safety. If schools are no longer allowing for exemptions for communicable diseases, we could soon face another crisis of disease outbreaks. The irony here is that many are worried about an increase in diseases.
The potential for lawsuits, the impact on families, and the overall disregard for children’s health and well-being are all serious concerns. It seems Tennessee, sadly, is setting a bad example. From the perspective of the people, all of the political undertones are what is to blame for this.
So, as we collectively shake our heads at this policy, let’s hope that the parents of this district rally and make their voices heard. The health and safety of their children are on the line. And perhaps, just perhaps, those in power will reconsider a policy that seems to fly in the face of common sense and basic human decency.