Tennessee school won't accept doctor's notes for absences
Lawrence County School System officials said the school is instituting the policy to teach students work ethic and reliability, saying that students will be expected to go to work sick or injured as adults.
It is also intended to address chronic absenteeism, defined as missing 10 percent or more of instructional time. In the 2023-2024 school year, Lawrence County had a 14 percent rate of chronic absenteeism.
With no federally mandated sick leave, many Americans do go to work when sick, but public health officials advise against it. Staying home when sick can reduce the spread of viruses like the flu and COVID-19 and protect vulnerable people in the community.
The new attendance policy says students will simply be marked absent or present, with no options for doctors to verify a child is absent because they are sick or injured, need to stay home to recover or to prevent spreading contagious illnesses to their classmates.
The policy is meant to help improve attendance rates, but parents have objected, noting that an absence for an illness like the flu could now mean a referral to the Lawrence County Juvenile Court for truancy.
Children who get sick at school or are sent to school sick and sent home by a nurse will be counted as tardy. Three tardies will equal an absence.
The new policy also says schools will start intervention after just three days, and eight or more days marked absent will result in a court referral.
Other penalties could include failing a class or grade, not being allowed to participate in graduation or get a driver's license or permit.
There will be exemptions for students with documented chronic illnesses and emergencies out of the student's control, as well as allowances for deaths in the family and some religious observances.
The school district sent a letter to medical providers asking them to emphasize regular school attendance and warning that medical notes could imply students should stay home even after their health improves.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Advocates worry new White House order on homelessness could hurt vets
Advocates and critics are warning that a recent White House order aimed at getting homeless individuals off city streets and public parks could cause significant problems for efforts to help veterans without stable housing. They argue that the executive order, signed July 24, would force veterans into institutions without considering their available options and discourage individuals from seeking help for multiple, interrelated issues. 'Veterans fought for this country,' officials from the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans said in a statement on Friday. 'They have earned the dignity of a hand up in the way of investments in housing, mental health, and substance abuse treatment, and additional supportive services — not surveillance and detention.' President Donald Trump's executive order — 'Ending crime and disorder on America's streets' — would allow local officials to remove homeless individuals from public areas and permit those authorities to commit those Americans to drug treatment centers or other public health institutions. Advocates for homeless vets wary over proposed changes to VA programs 'Shifting homeless individuals into long-term institutional settings for humane treatment through the appropriate use of civil commitment will restore public order,' the president's order states. 'Surrendering our cities and citizens to disorder and fear is neither compassionate to the homeless nor other citizens.' The document also outlines ending support for 'housing first' policies, which administration officials argue 'deprioritize accountability and fail to promote treatment, recovery, and self-sufficiency.' Homeless advocates have said that research shows the opposite. They insist that providing stable housing to individuals facing a host of mental health and financial problems gives them more security to clean up other aspects of their lives without worrying about where they will sleep at night. 'This deprives people of their basic rights and makes it harder to solve homelessness,' officials from the National Homelessness Law Center said in a statement shortly after the White House release. 'This executive order is rooted in outdated, racist myths about homelessness and will undoubtedly make homelessness worse.' The Department of Housing and Urban Development's annual point-in-time count conducted in early 2024 found roughly 33,000 veterans living on the street without stable housing, a reduction of about 2,700 individuals from the 2023 count. That number is less than half the estimated 74,000 homeless veterans nationwide in 2010, when then-President Barack Obama announced a federal government goal of ending veteran homelessness. But some areas — in particular, Los Angeles — have struggled to reduce those totals further in recent years. Advocates have pushed for more resources and fewer restrictions for community groups, but conservatives have questioned whether more funding will produce continued results. Officials from NCHV warned that involuntary hospitalization and institutionalization of homeless individuals instead of relying on community coordination of care may actually worsen the problem. 'For veterans — many of whom live with service-connected trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health conditions — forced treatment can retraumatize rather than heal,' they said in their statement. 'Moreover, institutionalization is often more expensive than providing housing and outpatient care and can be traumatic for individuals who are mandated into treatment settings without their consent. Veterans deserve access to voluntary, trauma-informed care in community settings, not confinement.' Trump's executive order drew immediate condemnation from Democratic critics, who said it was motivated by cost-cutting illusions rather than sound problem-solving policies. 'Hundreds of thousands of veterans rely on the incredibly successful HUD and VA housing assistance programs,' House Veterans' Affairs Committee ranking member Mark Takano, D-Calif., said. 'This directive misdiagnoses the root causes of homelessness – particularly among veterans – and proposes punitive measures that will punish and endanger the very people it claims to help. 'Instead of getting veterans off the street, this misguided approach delays that process and puts handcuffs on those vulnerable veterans. It will exacerbate the homelessness crisis.' White House and Department of Justice officials have not yet outlined exactly how the new order will be enforced, and when local officials might be able to change their approach to homeless response without legal concerns. Veterans Affairs officials have not announced any changes in their grant programs or assistance efforts as a result of the new order. In May, VA Secretary Doug Collins said that officials had begun work on Trump's ideas for a new 'National Center for Warrior Independence' in Los Angeles to provide more housing and employment support for the estimated 3,000 homeless veterans living there. He also promised continued focus on the issue in coming months. Solve the daily Crossword
The Hill
42 minutes ago
- The Hill
Top medical group presses RFK Jr. to keep health screening panel
A top U.S. health lobbying group is calling on Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to not dismiss a preventive task force following a report he's planning to remove all of its members in the same way he ousted an entire vaccine advisory board earlier this year. The American Medical Association (AMA) wrote to Kennedy on Sunday to express its 'deep concern' over reporting that Kennedy is planning to dismiss all members of the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). 'USPSTF members have been selected through an open, public nomination process and are nationally recognized experts in primary care, prevention and evidence-based medicine. They serve on a volunteer basis, dedicating their time to help reduce disease and improve the health of all Americans—a mission well-aligned with the Make America Healthy Again initiative,' the AMA wrote in a letter to Kennedy. The Wall Street Journal reported late last week that Kennedy was planning to dismiss the entire 16-member panel for being too 'woke' in his eyes, citing people familiar with the decision. The report comes after Kennedy in June dismissed the entire Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, replacing the members with some known spreaders of vaccine information. When reached for comment by The Hill, a spokesperson the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said, 'No final decision has been made on how the USPSTF can better support HHS' mandate to Make America Healthy Again.' Just last month, the USPSTF's powers to make recommendations survived legal scrutiny when the Supreme Court upheld their constitutionality. Plaintiffs in the case argued the panel was unconstitutional. The case began when a Texas business did not wish to cover HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, which is recommended by the USPSTF. 'Given the essential role USPSTF members play in weighing the benefits and harms of preventive services such as screenings, behavioral counseling, and preventive medications, and making evidence-based recommendations for implementation in primary care settings, we urge you to keep the previously appointed USPSTF members and continue the task force's regular meeting schedule to ensure recommendations are put forth, updated, and disseminated without delay,' the AMA told Kennedy.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
RFK Jr. reportedly eyeing overhaul of cancer screening task force
(NewsNation) — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is facing criticism over a reported plan to fire all 16 members of a federal advisory panel that helps determine which cancer screenings and preventive services insurers must cover at no cost to patients. The group in question, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, provides evidence-based recommendations on screenings such as breast and colon cancer and plays a role in shaping coverage for millions of Americans. The plan was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, which cited sources claiming Kennedy believes the plane is 'too woke.' NewsNation has not independently confirmed the potential firings but has requested a comment from the Department of Health and Human Services. FDA eyes warning about antidepressants during pregnancy AMA: Panel plays a 'critical, nonpartisan' role in patient health The American Medical Association wrote a letter to Kennedy expressing 'deep concern' over the potential dismissals. The AMA said the panel plays a 'critical, nonpartisan role in guiding physicians' efforts to prevent disease and improve the health of patients.' The organization is urging Kennedy to retain the previously appointed members and 'ensure their important work can continue without interruption.' AMA President Dr. Bobby Mukkamala has pushed back on criticism of the panel as well as claims that it's driven by partisan ideology. 'So the question is, why was this taken apart?' Mukkamala said. 'What was the motivation to do that? What did we think that these folks were doing wrong, that then somebody else may be perceived as doing it better, for reasons that we have no idea what makes this person wrong and what makes this person right. And that's where we're concerned.' Not allergic to poison ivy? Don't be so sure Task force accused of being 'too woke' Kennedy's reported plan comes in the wake of an article in the American Conservative Magazine, which accused the task force of harboring left-wing ideology. Kennedy has since postponed the panel's meeting scheduled this month. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
