Lawrence County School District is rolling out a new absentee policy that directs schools to refer students to juvenile court after they’ve missed eight days, disregarding doctors’ notes.

The approach taken by this rural Tennessee school district has sparked considerable backlash from parents. In June, the Lawrence County Board of Education adopted this controversial policy.

Effective from August 4, the policy requires school officials to refer families to juvenile court if a student misses school for eight days. Generally, in Tennessee, court referrals for truancy don’t kick in until a child has 18 unexcused absences.

School director Michael Adkins emphasized the importance of ensuring students don’t lose precious teaching time. “I think we have to get up and say this is important,” he stated when introducing the new rule. “It’s important to come to school every day.” He added comments about how, even with a cold, people often still show up for work, citing a collective loss of credibility in society regarding illness.

Despite Adkins’ reasoning, many parents are outraged by this policy. Over 2,700 residents have already signed a petition seeking to overturn it at the next board meeting, scheduled for August 21. Parents have also taken to social media to express their concerns.

The absentee policy outlines various steps schools will take. Initially, schools aim to foster a welcoming environment for families and highlight the importance of attendance while analyzing student data to catch issues early.

After a student misses three days, officials can initiate some form of intervention, although the specifics of that intervention are not detailed. By the time a student reaches five absences, schools are to conduct meetings with both the student and their parents, develop “attendance agreements,” and regularly follow up to assess the reasons for the absences. Once a student has missed eight days, they will be referred to juvenile court.

Parents of children with chronic illnesses have the option to submit forms that allow schools to communicate with their children’s doctors. Amber Atkins, a parent and co-creator of a Facebook group opposing the policy, expressed frustration that one illness could easily lead to multiple missed school days and suggested it wastes time in court and resources.

Atkins’ son, who has ADHD, missed five days last year for healthcare appointments and may risk further absences this year due to health issues. Attempts to reach Lawrence County schools for comments on the policy were unsuccessful.

Lawrence County currently has a chronic absenteeism rate of 15.4%, which is lower than the state’s average of 18.7% and the national average of around 26%. Whether absences are classified as “excused” or “unexcused” will still impact the district’s absenteeism statistics.

Some experts argue that a punitive approach to truancy is ultimately counterproductive. They believe that questioning the relationship between schools and families can hinder efforts to understand and address underlying issues surrounding absenteeism.