Tennessee district bans doctor's notes to exempt kids from school to teach them good work ethic
New rules set out by the Lawrence County School System Board of Education state that 'absences are not excused' and only permits them in a number of specific circumstances. Regular illness is not included in the list.
Sanctions for multiple instances of alleged truancy include loss of school event privileges and even referral to juvenile court for truancy.
'If you have the sniffles, that is fine,' Director of Schools Michael Adkins said during a recent meeting. 'You are going to have them when you go to work one day. We have all gone to work sick and hurt and beat up.'
The new attendance policy states that 'absences shall be classified as absent' and 'absences are not excused or unexcused.'
Social media users acted with outrage to the news, with one writing: 'I hope teachers send kids to his office to throw up.'
'Where were the parents when this type of policy was being passed?' questioned another. 'What can be the reasoning behind this?' another person asked 'This is not right nor fair to the children.'
'[If] I was a parent I would pull my kid out of school cause you are putting other students and their parents at risk of potential illness!' added another.
The district's policy adds that exemptions can be made by a school's principal in circumstances including a death in the family, religious observance, court summons, school-endorsed or military activities, or circumstances out of the students' control.
Absence is also permitted in cases of chronic illness 'verified by a licensed medical provider practicing in Tennessee,' according to the policy. That includes pregnancy-related issues and births, according to the policy.
However, there is no option given for doctors to verify a child is absent because they are sick or injured, or if they need to stay home to recover and prevent spreading contagious illnesses.
'Attendance is a key factor in student achievement, and therefore, students are expected to be present each day school is in session,' the attendance policy states. 'The Lawrence County School System believes attendance is vital to one's educational experience and future financial earnings.'
The new policy is also designed to address the issue of 'chronic absenteeism,' which the district defines as missing 10 percent or more time meant to be in class. Such students will also automatically fail the subjects and grades regardless of their academic results.
'We are going to take control of the attendance of our students,' Adkins said. 'You can bring all the doctor's notes you want, but it is still unexcused.'
The policies follow a notable increase in diseases affecting children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 216 children died during this past flu season — a higher number than any time since the 2009 U.S. swine flu pandemic.
2025 also saw an outbreak of measles explode into a total of 1,319 confirmed cases as of Wednesday, according to the CDC. Cases have been recorded in 40 states stretching across the country, while vaccination rates dropped in 78 percent of American counties, with an average decline of 2.67 percent to below the 95 percent herd immunity threshold to predict or limit the spread of measles.
In addition, a new study in the medical journal JAMA found that the health of America's children has significantly worsened across several key indicators since 2007.
A U.S. child is 15 to 20 percent more likely to have a chronic condition in 2023 than a child in 2011 with the prevalence of conditions such of depression, anxiety, sleep apnea and obesity all increasing.
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