The student handbook states that if students miss more than four days of class, they have to take the final exam, even if they have an A in every class. That doesn’t seem fair. If a student has been working hard all year and is doing well in school, then the student should not be forced to take a final just because of missing a few days. There are better ways to keep students responsible without punishing them for things that any student might not be able to control. Students with absences and A’s could at least have a case-by-case review instead of just one rule for everyone.

First of all, not all absences are the student’s fault. Sometimes people get sick or have family emergencies. Some students have doctor’s appointments or mental health days. Others might miss school because of things like a funeral or helping take care of a sibling. These are real-life situations that students can’t always avoid. If a student still manages to get A’s despite missing school, that shows the student is responsible and still learning. It’s not right to make them take the final when they already proved they understand the material.

Further, if a student already has an A, and that student is doing well on their tests, assignments, and projects throughout the year. Forcing them to take a final exam won’t show anything new. It just adds more stress at the end of the year when they should be proud of their hard work. Finals are often long, hard tests that take a lot of time to study for. If a student already knows the content, that time could be better used helping other students, working on projects, or preparing for the next grade level.

Third, we should be rewarding students who do well, not punishing them. If a student shows up most of the time, stays on top of their work, and earns A’s, that should be enough. Making them take a final because they were absent a few extra days sends the wrong message. It tells students that their effort doesn’t matter as much as just being in the classroom. That can feel unfair and discouraging, especially for students who are trying their best.

Attendance is important and students should be in school every day. And yes, showing up does matter. Instead of using strict absence rules, schools could look at the reasons for the absences and how the student is doing overall.

Students with absences and A’s could at least have a case-by-case review instead of just one rule for everyone. Hence again, it would practically be like punishing the student for something out of their hands.