Lawrence County Schools backtracks on no-excuse absence policy after parent backlash

Lawrence County public school officials have backtracked on a controversial policy that excluded doctors’ notes as a valid excuse for absences. (Photo: Getty Images)

The Lawrence County Board of Education agreed Thursday to revise a controversial attendance policy that discounted doctors’ notes as a valid excuse for a child missing school.

The policy, adopted in June, drew national headlines and pushback from local parents who protested against rules that spelled out escalating consequences if their child missed school for illness or other reasons – consequences that included expedited referrals to court for truancy proceedings.

“We have listened to the community and we have made some adjustments to the attendance policies,” John Daniel, board chairman, told a standing-room-only crowd that turned out for the often contentious meeting.

The board voted to separate its chronic absenteeism policy from its truancy policy, differentiating the consequences parents and students may face for missed school days.

Lawrence County school district will no longer excuse students with a doctor’s note

The new truancy policy continues to refer parents and students to court after eight absences, but will allow for excused absences for illness, including notes from a doctor. 

In Tennessee, truancy referrals to courts typically do not begin until a child has 18 unexcused school absences. 

All school absences could still trigger interventions under a separate chronic absenteeism policy designed to address the growing number of habitually absent students that schools across the nation have been seeing since the COVID-19 pandemic. Interventions could include conversations with school officials, counseling and in-home education services.

The original policy shared by the district of about 7,000 students spelled out consequences for families after a child was absent for three days and noted children would be referred to truancy court after eight days even with doctors’ notes attesting to a child’s illness during their absence.

The policy prompted outrage. On Thursday night, the board was presented with a petition with nearly 3,000 signatures calling for the policy’s revocation. Parents on Thursday took turns for nearly 45 minutes during the public comment portion of the board meeting lambasting the policy as government overreach that undermined the judgement of parents and doctors.