Reply #36: Unfortunately for responsible parents,

[Ms. Toad]

schools/the state have the ultimate authority over what is excused and what is not - regardless of parents' decisions.

We take our daughter out of school a couple of days a year for a conference that never falls during vacation. So far, as long as she makes her work up ahead of time, it is marked as an excused absence. If they wanted to be a pain - and I expect they would if it were more than a day or two here or there, they could declare it unexcused and all her work due during the period of absence would receive a grade of 0%.

As a parent, I find it intrusive.

As a former teacher, who dealt with classes with 30%-50% absenteeism in a couple of my classes every day, the school does have a legitimate (and mandatory) concern regarding attendance. Without introducing a lot of potential for subjective favoritism, I'm not sure how the school can distinguish between responsible parents whose children are absent for non-illness reasons a dozen days a year and irresponsible parents whose children are absent for similar periods.