Steffy's a fair student, but she's got an absence record as long as your arm. She's been out five of the last 12 days. Friday is Senior Cut Day, and kids asked me all day yesterday whether or not it's OK for them to blow it off. My answer, thus far, has been absolutely not.
Now Steffy's record is not quite as bad as it could be. A few days ago, she told me she had pinkeye. She said she'd been unable to get her eyes open in the morning, as they were stuck together. I wrote a nurse's pass with CONJUNCTIVITIS in big block letters as the reason she was sent. A few minutes later, she returned. I called the nurse, who insisted she just had allergies. For all our sake, I hope she's right.
Anyway, I told Steffi if she wished to have any chance at all to pass my class (let alone the English Regents), she'd better show up every day, including Friday.
I've taught in several schools, and Senior Cut Day is a long-standing tradition. But I've got a writing project that finishes Friday, and goshdarnit, if I have to be there, they have to be there too. Does your school have a Senior Cut Day? Do you let the kids take off? I could understand if they went to the prom the previous night or something--they could come in with a parent's note. But when I ask my prospective cutters if they're going, they all say no.
Am I turning into Snidely Whiplash? Am I doing this for their own good? Or is it the same thing?
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