So I am sitting in my house listening to my stepson talking about the new attendance policy at Albert Lea High School. My stepson has his driver’s test for his license approaching and due to the timing it will result in his being absent from his last two classes. The time for the test was not by our choice as my wife attempted to get him an appointment for after school but none was available.

Now due to the new policy for attendance my stepson is going to have basically an unexcused absence for at least one of those classes if not both. The driver’s test is not on the list for accepted absences it seems, and for that my stepson, and I am sure many others, will suffer this fate due to an ill-thought-out policy.

The new attendance policy is understandable as all students know someone who would rather spend more time skipping school than actually attending. So now students who do attend school without fail, and when they are gone it is for a legitimate reason, will suffer this policy due to the few students who were the reason this policy was brought into existence.

Perhaps it is time for the school board and those in charge at ALHS to rethink this policy and revise it so those students who do require a wake-up call get it and the rest do not suffer for their failings.

John Cook

Albert Lea