Imperfect Perfection

This time of year, an estimated 85% of my Facebook friends have commented on some aspect of the end-of-school activities that are consuming their time. A recent FB status caught my eye.

Plonit bat Plonit is so proud that both her children had perfect attendance this year.

My heart immediately sank. Because if her kids had perfect attendance, it could mean only one thing: they had gone to school on Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur. The holiest day of the year.

By the way, before you go screaming that we shouldn’t be penalized for observing our religion, let’s take a look at the relevant section of the Education Code of the State of California:

(a) Notwithstanding Section 48200 [California’s compulsory education requirement], a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:

(1) Due to his or her illness.

(2) Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.

(3) For the purpose of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered.

(4) For the purpose of attending the funeral services of a member of his or her immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than one day if the service is conducted in California and not more than three days if the service is conducted outside California.

(5) For the purpose of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.

(6) Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent.

(7) For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of his or her religion, attendance at religious retreats, or attendance at an employment conference, when the pupil’s absence has been requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board.

(8) For the purpose of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.

(b) A pupil absent from school under this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit therefor. The teacher of any class from which a pupil is absent shall determine the tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.

(c) For purposes of this section, attendance at religious retreats shall not exceed four hours per semester.

(d) Absences pursuant to this section are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.

(e) “Immediate family,” as used in this section, has the same meaning as that set forth in Section 45194, except that references therein to “employee” shall be deemed to be references to “pupil.” [Members of the immediate family, as used in this section, means the mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, or a grandchild of the employee or of the spouse of the employee, and the spouse, son, son-in-law, daughter, daughter-in-law, brother, or sister of the employee, or any relative living in the immediate household of the employee.]

(Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 312, Sec. 1.)

Absence from school for the purpose of “observance of a holiday or ceremony of his or her religion” is an acceptable reason to miss school. It is, however, still an absence. Just as a child who stays home from school due to illness is still absent. These kids are guaranteed the opportunity to make up any missed work, but as they did in fact miss one or more days of school, are ineligible for a perfect attendance award.

Back to the “perfect attendance family, if recollection serves, these kids were in the congregation for the evening service. So they did, in fact, participate in some aspect of the Holy Day. But Yom Kippur observance ought to be more than putting in some time to fulfill…an attendance requirement. Right?