New Attendance Policy

[Lauren Coupland]

President Ben-Naim and members of the school board, 

Reading the attendance policy in the packet for tonight, I have a few concerns.  It looks like this maybe something mandated by the state.  Does LAPS have an option to adopt or reject this change?  If there is an option to modify or reject, I would encourage you to do so for the following reasons: 

1) This policy advocates for attendance awards, competitions, and incentives.  These policies are inherently ableist, racist, and encourage the spread of disease.  

Students whose religious or cultural holidays are not that of the majority are automatically disadvantaged.  It also unfairly penalizes those with chronic health problems or conditions that require regular medical care.  These students are already at risk for bullying.  A classroom or grade level attendance competition will single them out, and make them a target for blame and bullying.  

Additionally, attendance awards and competitions encourage the spread of disease by incentivizing coming to school while ill.  This is exactly the wrong message to send anytime, but particularly this year, in the middle of a pandemic.  

2) In this policy, there is no distinction between excused absences and unexcused absences for all but the highest tier of intervention.  Once again, this singles out those with different religious or cultural holidays, and those with health concerns.  Some tiers require the family to meet with school staff and agree to an attendance contract with consequences and restrictions.  This makes students and parents weigh the risk of these consequences with the risk of spreading disease and illness.  Again, this is the wrong choice, especially during a pandemic.  

3) Even without the removal of excuses absences, this decreases the number of absences before action is taken.  Currently unexcused (also known as parent excused) absences are capped at 10.  This lowers that threshold from 10 to 9, and includes all absences, even those with a doctor’s note.  

I urge you to reject this plan, or to ask for modifications in either the language or implementation so that no one is penalized for celebrating their cultural or religious beliefs, or for prioritizing their health and the health of others.  

Thank you, 

Lauren Coupland